#boty2016

[erraticprojectjunkie]

2016 Book of the Year: We Have a Winner!

Ah...we've finally made it to the final round. It will be nice to get this finished. However, it does mean that now I'm going to have to start thinking about what posts will be coming up next. Time to dust off the blog planner and figure this stuff out. It also could mean breaking out the sewing machine for the first time in over a year. It's exciting, but also mildly daunting. As we get ready to settle into the heavy competition, here's a reminder of where we left off last time. It's the Pulitzer winning The Shipping News by Annie Proulx versus the young adult fiction novel Since You've Been Gone by prior BOTY winner Morgan Matson.  vs. I will admit, this was a rather difficult decision. It, like the competition between Since You've Been Gone and Arcadia, was very head to head. I know it seems odd to say that when the books are from two very different genres and intended for relatively different audiences, but I liked both books in different ways. (Good grief, how many times can I say "different"?) The Shipping News took a short while to get me interested and I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to enjoy the characters at first. However, it quickly wrapped me up and I truly loved it. It was a good read from both a storyline perspective and a literary analysis standpoint. Annie Proulx is very talented. Her writing is smart and laden with impressive style and technique. Her characters are unique and well-rounded. Put very simply, the book works. I went into Since You've Been Gone with high hopes as I had truly adored Matson's prior book, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. Any dedicated reader will recognize that this tendency is a dangerous situation. Sometimes this leads me to great disaster. In the end, it's not quite up to the status of Amy & Roger, but the book is still pretty great. I love her tendency to create playlists in her novels and I particularly enjoy her eclectic music selections. The plot is cute and smart, but the one semi-serious downfall was a fairly predictable ending.  Though I appreciate the happy, somewhat overly perfect ending approach in it's attempt to make readers happy, it sometimes just becomes...a bit boring. I tried not to let it bother me, but it did prevent the book from getting five stars. I realize after writing the prior paragraphs that I tend to be highly critical of the books I enjoy the most. Interesting. I continue to learn things about my own reading habits the more I do this.  I waffled back and forth on my decision quite a bit and this was one of those times, yet again, where it could have truly gone either way. Looking back at the bracket, sometimes I doubt my ultimate decision and think things should have swayed the other direction. So...clearly both books are actually winners in some grand sense of things.  However, for the purposes of this exercise, I have to sacrifice a good read. So...I'm truly sorry to say that The Shipping News fell a bit short. I just love Matson's characters and her bubbly style too much, I guess. In the end, we end up with our first ever repeat winner. Morgan Matson takes the 2016 Book of the Year with her novel, Since You've Been Gone. It faced some pretty good competition along the way, but Matson comes out on top again. I'm pretty stoked that we have a repeat winner. Though I will admit, I kind of like it when something of a dark horse tends to make it really far in the challenge. Let's face it though, that was something of the situation here. A children's book and a play both made it to the Final Four. Unheard of. It was a bit of a fun and surprising elimination bracket. And I suppose that's why I find this tradition so much fun. You really never can tell what will happen when you randomly pit these books against one another. A different roll of the dice for initial bracket setup and we could have had a different winner...you never know.It was an interesting year of reads; definitely one that was unique when compared to past challenges. I look forward to seeing where my 2017 reads will take me. What was your favorite read from last year? What is your favorite thus far this year? What should I be adding to the top of my TBR that could take next year's bracket? I'm ready for some unique and interesting reads. Interested in past winners? Check them out (and their competition) below... 2011 Book of the Year  : The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson2012 Book of the Year  : Let's Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson2013 Book of the Year  : Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher 2014 Book of the Year  : Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson2015 Book of the Year : The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins This post originally appeared on Erratic Project Junkie and is copyrighted by Elle. Find EPJ on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

[erraticprojectjunkie]

2016 Book of the Year: The Finals

Let's get this show back on the road, shall we? Normally, we all know my favorite book from the year before by the end of February. Obviously, we are slightly behind schedule. But...all is not lost. We will persevere and...by darn...we will know my favorite book by the end of June. Since it's been a terribly long and pathetic amount of time, your memory is likely (like mine) to be a bit rusty in remembering where we were in this process. For those of you who haven't been around for Book of the Year (BOTY) before, it works like this: Book of the Year is a bracket style elimination wherein I enter all of the books I read the year before in a randomized fashion and then pit them against each other to determine my favorite book of the year. The size of the bracket is dependent upon how many books I read in the year prior. If there are more books than a standardized bracket, then the lowest rated books are eliminated before we even begin. Once the competition begins, those books that were rated higher in my original ratings automatically beat their opponents. Opponents with the same rating get to duke it out based on my personal feelings towards each book. Sometimes I know the winner going in to the process, sometimes even I am surprised at who comes out on top.  Got it? Okay, let's move on... This is where we left things after we eliminated down to the Final Four. It's an eclectic bunch. We have a children's book, a fiction novel by an award winning novelist, a young adult fiction novel, and a play. This is the first time in BOTY history when either a children's book or a play have made it this far in the process.  Now...depending on what you're looking to read, all four of these books are worth your attention. But...as always, only one can be the winner. So, let's get eliminating. We only have to rounds this time: the left bracket and the right bracket. The Left Bracket:  vs. Porko von Popbutton is a Canadian children's book that was written in the 1960s and is admittedly not what would be considered politically correct by today's standards. But it's colorful and it's fun and it is part of a series based on the seven deadly sins. This one is gluttony. Plus, there's hockey. What's not to love? It's out of print and difficult to find, though Amazon has made life so much easier for these sorts of things. The Shipping News, interestingly enough, has a plot largely based in Canada (though it is written by American author Annie Proulx). It was a New York Times bestseller and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1994. Obviously it has seen high praise. I read this one for a literature class and wound up writing a terribly long term paper on it, so I obviously read and scrutinized it in depth. It's creative and quirky, with lots of hidden meanings and literary effects. It's incredibly well-written. I would like to say that the underdog took the day in this one, simply because...how cool would it be for a children's book to make it to the finals? But, that's not to be. It just couldn't. The Shipping News is an incredibly good book and one that is on my reread list for the future. That doesn't happen often. And I got an A on that term paper, so obviously I know my stuff when it comes to this book. 😉 Winner for the left side of the bracket and first entry into the finals for 2016 Book of the Year... The Right Bracket: vs. Since You've Been Gone is a young adult fiction novel written by Morgan Matson, winner of the 2014 Book of the Year with her novel, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. Admittedly, this one did not give me all the feels that Amy & Roger did, hence its four-star rating compared to Amy & Roger's five. But, it's still adorable and lovely. Morgan Matson is a fantastic author and for lovers of young adult fiction, this one is a must read. Arcadia is a play by Tom Stoppard and also received four stars on initial rating. I also read this one for the aforementioned literature class. Now, I am not typically a fan of plays. I do not seek them out and I very rarely read them unless they are part of an assignment. But...wow. Seriously. Arcadia is masterfully written and has a fantastic premise wherein the entire play takes place in the same room, but in two separate time periods 100 years apart. And yet...they aren't entirely separate. It's really quite good. Like The Shipping News, this one goes on the reread list. Serious props to my professor for her choices here.   This match-up was my most difficult decision to this point in the bracket. I waffled back and forth several times on my selection for the winner. In fact, when I sat down to write this post today, I couldn't recall who the winner was. I guessed...and I was wrong. So, really it was anyone's game here. You can't go wrong with either. But if I've said it before, I've said it a thousand times. There can only be one winner. And the show must go on. Decisions must be made. Losses must be cut. So...the winner of the right side bracket, by less than a hair's breadth... It always gets painful at some point in these eliminations. And this, my friends, is where it happened this year. Though I admit that the early competition of Binge and Pirate at the Party was also a tough one. The lower right bracket was full of good reads. So...here is where we now stand: Only one more round to go, my friends. And then it's winner, winner, chicken dinner. We will finally have my 2016 Book of the Year. This post originally appeared on Erratic Project Junkie and is copyrighted by Elle. Find EPJ on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

[erraticprojectjunkie]

2016 Book of the Year: Final Four

Well...hello again! Are you enjoying my repeating disappearing act? It seems that time has a way of getting away from me these days. We've had a few crazy weeks here on the farm, so my time has been a bit disjointed. But...the show must go on. And we have a 2016 BOTY to find! I know it's been a while, so here's a refresher of where the bracket currently stands. Eight competitors working to take the title. How about we get rid of half of these? Sound like a plan? Top Left Bracket: vs. A 4-star rating against a 3-star rating. You know what that means. Easy elimination. An unfortunate one, but (thanks to the rules) an easy one nonetheless. We say goodbye to Mindy Kaling here and Porko von Popbutton by William Pene du Bois continues on to the Final Four. Crazy...I think this is the first time ever I've had a children's book competing in the Final Four. Bottom Left Bracket: vs. Two 4-star rated books. Both fantastic reads. This one was a difficult choice. I seem to always have at least one bracket where I waffle every year. This pairing definitely meets that definition. I struggled a lot over what I wanted to do here. Ultimately, as always, I just had to pull of the band-aid and go with my gut. And so...as good as it was and as much as I would highly recommend it as a read, If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo loses out to Annie Proulx's The Shipping News. There's just too much literary mastery present in Proulx's work to let it lose out here. Top Right Bracket: vs. 3.5 stars vs. 4 stars. Dang it, Harry Potter. I'll admit though, I don't feel too bad about this one. I just didn't love Cursed Child as much as I had hoped. Besides...I adore Morgan Matson and Since You've Been Gone gave me the feels. Since You've Been Gone moves on to the Final Four.  Bottom Right Bracket: vs. Once again, two 4-star rated books face off. And yes...it was another difficult bracket to decide. But...I think literature wins out here once again. Lindsey Stirling's book was entertaining and it was endearing, but Tom Stoppard's Arcadia has staying power. It's filled with literary merit and I just couldn't let it go. The final contender in the 2016 Final Four is Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. Again...another first. No play has ever made it this far in the challenge. And there we have it...a very eclectic Final Four. Four 4-star books all facing off to try and take the ultimate title. Which one are you rooting for? This post originally appeared on Erratic Project Junkie and is copyrighted by Elle. Find EPJ on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

[erraticprojectjunkie]

2016 Book of the Year: Elite Eight

Don't worry. I hadn't forgotten that I was in the middle of whittling books down to my favorite read of 2016. It's been a very long and trying week and I've not been feeling that energetic. I'm in the middle of my 8th month of pregnancy and I'm starting to feel pretty exhausted and uncomfortable.  In addition, we had a pig with a very difficult farrowing early in the week that resulted in the loss of several piglets. We had the surviving four piglets in the house, but unfortunately lost one yesterday to seizures. We had revived her twice and were monitoring and nursing her for nearly fourteen hours straight, but she just couldn't pull through. We were both fairly devastated. Our farm is a business, but our animals have never just been a dollar sign. We care very much about them all and to have one hurting or suffering is incredibly hard. To lose one is heartbreaking. Her three siblings are still going strong and getting bigger and healthier by the day, but we aren't out of the woods yet. We're hoping that in the next week they will continue to do well and we can feel a little more confident that we have succeeded in preparing them for a nice, long life. Enough of the depressing stuff though...I've had enough of that in the last couple of days. How about instead, we talk books? This is where we begin for my 2016 BOTY Bracket... In my last two posts, I gave a brief review of each of the challengers in both the left and right halves of the bracket. Today, we're going to cut the participants in half. Some of these eliminations are simple. Some...not so much. Bracket 1: Porko von Popbutton by William Pene du Boisv. The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt The first rule of my eliminations has always been to default to the ratings. Higher ratings always win. No excuses, no exceptions. So...some of these eliminations will be pretty cut and dry. In this case, we have a 4-star review vs. a 3-star. That means The Goal is out and Porko von Popbutton lives to fight another day. Bracket 2:River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze by Peter Hesslerv.Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling These were both received 3-star ratings, so there was a bit more deliberation involved in choosing a winner. I will admit though, this one was fairly easy to decide. Kaling edges out Hessler simply because I find a humorous autobiography more interesting and enjoyable than a travel memoir in this particular case. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling advances to the Elite Eight. Bracket 3:The Shipping News by Annie Proulxv.This is Islam by Jamal J. Elias Four stars v. two. No contest. Annie Proulx easily wins this round and The Shipping News is moving on. Bracket 4:As I Lay Dying by William Faulknerv.If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo I enjoyed the Faulkner and may read it again in the future, but once again ratings win out. 3.5 stars v. 4 stars. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo edges out the competition to take the bracket. Bracket 5:The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexiev.Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (adaptation by John Tiffany and Jack Thorne) This one is a case where my failure to adhere to Goodreads's whole star rating system works in someone's favor. 3 stars vs. 3 1/2. Harry Potter, though not as impressive as I had originally hoped, beats out Alexie to move into the next round. Bracket 6:Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matsonv.Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris Ah, the ratings match-ups are making a lot of these nice and simple. I'll take it! Matson's 4-star rating takes down Harris's 3 stars handily. Since You've Been Gone takes bracket 6 and pushes on. Bracket 7:The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa by Yukichi Fukuzawav.Arcadia by Tom Stoppard Two stars versus four stars and a pretty cover? Fukuzawa didn't stand a chance. Winner, winner? Arcadia by Tom Stoppard. Bracket 8:Binge by Tyler Oakleyv.The Only Pirate at the Party by Lindsey Stirling (with Brooke S. Passey) Ah...and we save the most challenging bracket for last. Two good books, both 4-star ratings. Authors? Both adorable and funny. I really didn't like that they were pitted against each other right away. Darn you random sequence generator! But...we all know how it goes. It starts getting painful at some stage in the game. It took me some deliberation, but I finally made a decision on this one. Sometimes it's hard to say goodbye. The ultimate winner of this bracket of awesomeness? Lindsey Stirling's The Only Pirate at the Party. Sorry, Tyler. Better luck next time. And there you have it...we're officially down to eight. I realized while writing up this round that I didn't have a single 5-star read last year. I find that incredibly sad. I'm going to have to work a little harder at it this year. But...there are still some darned good contenders. Given the ratings rule, some of you undoubtedly recognize that there are some obvious eliminations that will be coming. But never fear, there will be some painful eliminations along the way. And ultimately, there will be a very good book that takes the crown. Can you guess the winner yet?  Next up: Eliminations to the Final Four... This post originally appeared on Erratic Project Junkie and is copyrighted by Elle. Find EPJ on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

[erraticprojectjunkie]

2016 Book of the Year: Right Side Opening Bracket

This weekend, I was actually planning on participating in the 24 in 48 Read-a-Thon. But...I was lazy with my schoolwork this week and fell a bit behind, plus I have a pile of projects that really need to get finished/started/worked on around here. Baby is only about 2 months away and things are still a bit chaotic and unprepared. Okay...a lot chaotic. So...I bailed. Besides, I said that my next post was the right side of the bracket, so at least I'm keeping to my word on that. As a reminder, this is what the starting bracket for this year's Book of the Year looks like. I went through the basics of the left side last time, so now we're moving on to the other half of the challengers. Ready? Here we go... The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Genre: Young Adult FictionRating: 3 stars I had been wanting to read this one since it caused a stir in my local community. I snagged it as a used book and, while still worth the read, it's one that I'm glad I got at a discounted price. (I'm a book snob, so I always like a deal.) To put it bluntly, I really didn't see the reasoning behind the controversy. I've read much more shocking books. This one seemed pretty tame, all things considered. It's on the younger end of the young adult fiction spectrum; I would say geared toward middle schoolers. For my thinking, it's appropriate for that age set and provides a good set of moral lessons for an age group where learning to treat others with equality and fairness is paramount. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (adaptation by John Tiffany and Jack Thorne) Genre: Play / Young Adult Fiction / FantasyRating: 3 stars (3 1/2 outside of Goodreads) For those living under a rock, this is the script for a play based on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. I bought this very shortly after its release and read it within a couple of days. I wrote a fairly lengthy review on it on Goodreads, but the basic gist of my feelings for this were that it was good, but not as good as the core Harry Potter series. I didn't mind the play format, but I didn't like that it was so obvious in the writing that J.K. Rowling was not the sole writer. Her writing is magical and wonderful and this just wasn't it. I had attachments to the characters based on the earlier books and this story didn't seem to keep true to them as much as I had hoped. It's more like fan fiction than a true Potter work, but in the end...it was worth the read.  Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson Genre: Young Adult FictionRating: 4 stars Since You've Been Gone had been sitting on my bookshelf for a very long time. I think I was afraid to read it because of how much I loved Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. I didn't want to be disappointed when I expected so much of Morgan Matson's writing. But...when it came time to grab books to take on a plane, this one went in the bag because I figured it would be a good and fast read. I was right. And it was worth it. It had playlists just like Amy & Roger and I just wanted to hug Morgan Matson for that. It's such a fun and cute thing to do. But...because I'm getting apparently stingy with my 5-star ratings, the overly perfect ending just didn't sit right with me. I don't know why. Why can't I just be happy for these characters?!?! Maybe I'm just getting old and cynical. Either way, I still gave it a nice solid 4. Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris Genre: Memoir / HumorRating: 3 stars I had been anticipating the release of this book for quite a while and managed to get it for review, which totally had me stoked. And yet, for some reason, I then let it sit on the shelf untouched for a few months. Eventually, I buckled down and read it. I was pretty entertained by Harris's cheeky humor and his way of just infusing his happy-go-lucky personality into everything, but I was surprisingly disappointed by the Choose Your Own Adventure approach. I must just be too much of a traditional reader at this point because I couldn't play along with the game...I had to read the book start to finish in order to make sure I didn't miss anything, but didn't have to read the same thing more than once. I know...I'm such a party pooper. The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa by Yukichi Fukuzawa Genre: Historical AutobiographyRating: 2 stars This was required reading for my Asian history class. While it did provide a lot of good historical context that gave me a first-hand view of the events we studied for the course, it was incredibly slow to get started and he seemed to be a bit cocky with his writing. The book is filled with piles of footnotes that probably take up more space in the book than Fukuzawa's actual memories. Ultimately, this just wasn't my thing. Arcadia by Tom Stoppard Genre: PlayRating: 4 stars I read this play as part of my Literary Analysis course. I wasn't originally thrilled about reading a play, but I will admit that I enjoyed a little bit of cover lust. This play has an interesting plot structure with the entire plot taking place in a single location, but with two different plot lines 100 years apart. It's incredibly smart and fun. I actually expect that this one will be up for a reread. That's how much I enjoyed it. Binge by Tyler Oakley Genre: Memoir / HumorRating: 4 stars Binge was my first read of 2016 and was a gift from the boyfriend after hearing me talk about how much I enjoyed Tyler Oakley. For those who don't know him, Oakley is a popular YouTuber and he's incredibly sweet and funny. He's a character with a love for life and he has no problem with being 100% genuine, no matter the circumstances. His memoir was a lovely collection of funny stories and I laughed out loud on more than one occasion. The Only Pirate at the Party by Lindsey Stirling (with Brooke S. Passey) Genre: Memoir / HumorRating: 4 stars I've liked Lindsey Stirling since the moment I first saw one of her YouTube videos. She's a smart and sweet girl with a huge bucket of talent. When I saw that this book existed, I just felt a need to read it. I'm not huge on autobiographies (though my 2016 reads would certainly make everyone think otherwise), but I had some odd need to know more about her. Her memoir (an odd thing to call the book of a 30-year-old) was as cute as she is and read incredibly easy. She is an honest and down-to-earth person, but still manages to keep some of her personal life respectfully private during the narrative. The Only Pirate at the Party was worth the read and the money. And there you have it! Sixteen competitors all wanting to win the title of my 2016 Book of the Year. Have your predictions for the final four? Or maybe you already think you've picked out my number one read... We'll have to see. Half of the contenders get the ax in the next post. Are you ready for some heartbreak? Oh...and for the record...yes...I already know the winner. This post originally appeared on Erratic Project Junkie and is copyrighted by Elle. Find EPJ on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

[erraticprojectjunkie]

2016 Book of the Year: Opening Bracket

It wouldn't be January if I didn't do my Book of the Year Bracket. I'm admitting this right out of the gate...my reading for last year was pretty pathetic. I only finished eighteen books during the entire year. That's just a wee bit shy of my goal of forty. Oops. But...tradition is tradition, so we're going to carry on, despite the reduced number of books to work with. It's an odd mix this year. In order to fit in a standard bracket, I reduced the eighteen books to sixteen by removing two books from the list: an anthology and a pregnancy book...difficult ones to use as challengers. Still...that leaves me with a very...eclectic group of books. Out of the sixteen challengers, nine are fiction and seven are non-fiction. That's a lot of non-fiction. Included are two plays, a children's book, a travel book, a religion book, and five (what?!?) autobiographies. It was a weird year of reading, you guys. Even more surprising...only four of the fiction novels are young adult fiction. That might be a record low in YA fiction percentage. This is what happens when the majority of your reads come from course assignments. I arranged the bracket using a random list generator based on when I completed each book. Once again, that totally bit me in the behind in that it (spoiler alert!) paired two of my favorites against each other in the bottom right bracket. I considered tweaking the bracket to suit my preferences, but...I kept my crap together and kept the bracket honest. Here's where we start... Now...let's meet the left side challengers... Porko von Popbutton by William Pene du Bois Genre: Children's bookRating: 4 stars I read this one as a recommendation from the boyfriend. It was his favorite childhood book. I have to say...it's a cute story, but it would totally not fly in today's PC society. One of a series of books based on the seven deadly sins, Porko von Popbutton focuses on gluttony. There is a set of moral lessons within the pages, just a somewhat questionable approach in light of today's approach to childhood obesity. But...it was published in the 60's, so I'll cut it a bit of slack.  The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt Genre: Business / FictionRating: 3 stars I read The Goal as an assignment for my course in Supply Chain Management. It was better than I expected it to be, to be honest. There are a lot of good business lessons in it, along with a lot of basic economic principles demonstrated in practical ways, but it also reads like a good story. It actually took me a while to realize that it was a novel and not non-fiction. I guess that means it's fairly well-written. My biggest disappointment with this book? Rather lack luster ending. I am very picky about my endings. River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze by Peter Hessler Genre: Travel memoirRating: 3 stars River Town was another course assignment, this time for my Asian history course. It follows the author's time as a Peace Corps associated teacher in China during the late nineties. I found this one interesting as my friend (and fellow blogger at In Search of the End of the Sidewalk) also spent some time under the same circumstances. I enjoyed hearing her views of the book, as she could see the narrative from a incredibly different perspective. Overall, the organization of the story was a bit rambling for me, but it gave me some decent exposure to a culture that I prior knew very little about. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling Genre: Autobiography / HumorRating: 3 stars Ah...a book I actually chose because I wanted to read it. Yes...those did exist last year. Why Not Me? was actually my final read of 2016. I read it on a plane on my way back to Idaho for Christmas. I have to say...it's a good airline read. Relaxed and entertaining, it's quippy and fun. But...ultimately, as much as I enjoy Mindy...you could tell this was a follow-up (likely obligated by some prior contract) and it just wasn't as much fun as her first book. The Shipping News by Annie Proulx Genre: Contemporary fictionRating: 4 stars This was the read for my final project in my literary analysis course. I ended up writing a huge term paper on it. Thank goodness it was an interesting book. I had never read Proulx before, but I had heard her talked up several times. With good reason. Her writing is beautiful. Her characters are odd, but still realistic. Her narrative just worked. Really well. She is a master at using literary devices and I enjoyed very much analyzing the characters, their interactions, and her subtle mastery of her craft. And now you're wondering why it wasn't rated 5 stars. Honestly? I just wasn't in love with the story. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but it didn't grip me in the way I feel a 5 star read should. Ultimately...I'm just getting stingier about my ratings. This is Islam by Jamal J. Elias Genre: Religious nonfictionRating: 2 stars I'll be honest...this was likely my least favorite book of the year. It's more or less a primer for Islamic culture and the history of its religious sects. It was required reading for my Asian history course and I was highly disappointed in it. It's incredibly dense to read in the beginning and I trudged through it. Nonfiction is hard enough for me to make it through, and this approach was just too rigid. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner Genre: Classic FictionRating: 3 stars (technically 3.5 stars outside of Goodreads' system)  Another book from Literary Analysis. Let's call this one an oldie, but a goodie. It definitely has fantastic literary merit. Faulkner was very good at subtlety and there is a lot hidden within the pages. Without a doubt, this one is a novel which will reveal more with each subsequent read. I don't frequently do rereads, but I have a feeling this one may come along my TBR list again in the future. If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo Genre: Young Adult FictionRating: 4 stars This was a gifted book from another book blogger, the lovely Julianne from Outlandish Lit. I had heard about it for a while and was fairly curious. I was highly impressed. It's a brave narrative, but one that is becoming more accepted as our society becomes more tolerant. For that, I am grateful. Diverse books can always be a great thing. This one is among a small handful of trans literature out there. If I Was Your Girl is amazingly written with fantastically complex characters and realistic dialogue. I read this one in a single sitting, completely fascinated by the story. It's not overly in your face, nor is it highly politicized. It is simply the story of a teenager trying to be accepted. Absolutely worth the read. Whew! Maybe it's a good thing I didn't read many books last year. This post got long really fast. That wraps up the left side of the bracket. You can probably already figure out a few of the winners and unfortunate losers that will take place in the first elimination, but undoubtedly there will still be a few unpredictables (just the way I like it). Next up? The right side challengers. There's some good competition in that side as well...including the most heated bracket of the opener. This post originally appeared on Erratic Project Junkie and is copyrighted by Elle. Find EPJ on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

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One of my best friends from Taiwan his name is bojin. He had a super crazy flight with lots of layovers!! When he finally arrived to Germany.. haha I took him straight too practice!! #latergram #renegaderockers #knucklenecktribe #hrc #bboypractice #taiwan #germany #bboys #bboyflavor #bboystance #battleoftheyear #boty2016 (at Open Space)