Just Another Girl and her Books: June 2017

Friday, June 30, 2017

Beat The Backlist Update

The year is officially half over, so I thought I'd just do a quick update on how I'm doing with my Beat the Backlist challenge. This has probably been the easiest challenge to do, except also kind of hard with proofreading because obviously almost none of the books that I'm hired to proofread will qualify for the challenge. But my goal for this challenge was only 40 books for the year, so I should have 20 done now to be on track. So let's see how I'm doing (and I honestly don't know how many I've read because I've been horrible about shelving them on Goodreads for easy reference.) Titles link to my reviews unless marked with an *.

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
The Martian by Andy Weir
Nerve by Jeanne Ryan
Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington
The Initiation by Jena Cryer
Unmentionable by Therese O'Neill
Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
Fluffy Strikes Back by Ashley Spires
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Sorry Not Sorry by Naya Rivera
George Carlin Reads to You by George Carlin
Down the Rabbit Hole by Holly Madison
Messenger by Lois Lowry
Suicide Squad Most Wanted: Katana by Mike Barr
Hetaera: Daughter of the Gods by J.A. Coffey
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The American Cancer Society New Healthy Eating Cookbook by Jeanne Besser
Black Book by Dylan Jones
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
Feed by M.T. Anderson*
Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes*
The Gathering by Dan Poblocki*
Freakling by Lana Krumwiede*
Beast by Donna Jo Napoli*

Apparently I've read 28 backlist books so far this year, which is amazing progress for this point. I don't think any of them are books that were on my list when I started this challenge, but oh well. I'm not good at sticking to lists anyway. I've just got to read two backlist books per month for the rest of the year to meet my goal, and that should be doable!

Now if you've stuck with me thus far, you deserve to know that #TeamHufflepuff is currently in the lead for house points (by my count) and has won the house cup 4 out of the 6 months we've been doing this so far. #TeamRavenclaw is in second, followed by #TeamSlytherin, and #TeamGryffindor is bringing up the rear. There is still time for you to join the challenge if you wish. Simply go to NovelKnight's blog and enter (just click the name I've linked to the challenge page.) If you want to read for a particular house, you will have to sign up for that separately after signing up for the main Beat the Backlist Challenge and you can do that here. (Hufflepuff's preferred.)

I hope to have you all join us. - Katie

Platypire Read-A-Thon June Results

Photo Courtesy of Platypire Maribel

How is June over already? I swear it just started like a week ago. But no, here we are four weeks and two days later, and it's time for me to update you on how I did this month at sticking to my reading and review list. So let's see how that went for me, shall we?

R - Read

C - Currently Reading

T - To Be Read
NR - Needs Reviewed

Read
R - Believe Me by Eddie Izzard (May) - Review
R - Sneak Peek: Fish In a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (June) - Review
R - Sneak Peek: King Dork by Frank Portman (June) - Review
R - Sneak Peek: Be True to Me by Adele Griffin (June) - Review
R - Wolf Hunt by Paige Tyler (June) - Review
R - Sneak Peek: Roar by Cora Carmack - Review

Reviewed
Book titles will link to review.

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich (May)
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai (April)
Diving Under by Ginna Moran (March)
Black Book by Dylan Jones (May)
Feels Like Falling by Jillian Ashe (April)

Needs Reviewed

NR - Mary Ting Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Alexandrea Weis Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Bicycle Thieves by Mary di Michele (March)
NR - Life After Lila by Ginna Moran (April)
NR - Alexandrea Weis Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Royal Guard of Draga by Emma Dean (May)
NR - Ginna Moran Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Ginna Moran Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - Mary Ting Proofread (Not yet listed on Goodreads)
NR - The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett (March)
NR - Feed by M.T. Anderson (May)
NR - Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes
NR - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (May)
NR - Teenage Diaries: Then and Now edited by Joe Richman (June)
NR - Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan (May)
NR - A Million Junes by Emily Henry (May)
NR - Beast by Donna Jo Napoli (June)
NR - Freakling by Lana Krumwiede
NR - The Gathering by Dan Poblocki

Currently Reading

C - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (2015)

C - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2015)

C - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (2016)

C - Sweetwater: The Kihn by Rivi Jacks (2015)

C - Give Me Your Answer True by Suanne Laqueur (2015)

C - The Voyage by Tammie Painter (2015)

C - Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder (2015)

C - The Road Home by Kathleen Shoop (2015)

C - Troll by Ashley C. Harris (2015)

C - The Sanctum of Souls by R.K. Pavia (2015)

C - The Travelers by Chris Pavone (2015)

C - Back of Beyond by Neeny Boucher (2016)

C - The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen (2016)

C - Letter's From Paris by Juliette Blackwell (2016)

C - An Exaltation of Larks by Suanne Laqueur (2016)

C - River of Ink by Paul M.M. Cooper (Jan)

C - The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco (Jan)

C - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (2016)
C - My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni (Feb)
C - Everything Belongs to Us by Yoojin Grace Wuertz (Feb)
C - Eleanor Roosevelt: The War Years by Blanche Wiesen Cook (Feb)
C - A House for Happy Mothers (April)
C - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (April)
C - The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck (May)
C - Son by Lois Lowry (May)
C - The Witchwood Crown by Tad Williams (June)
C - Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay (June)
C - In Our Backyard by Nita Belles (June)
C - Emma Dean Proofread (Not yet listed on GR)

To Be Read

T - The Devil's Prayer by Luke Gracias (Feb)

T - Courage to Soar by Simone Biles (March)
T - In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett (March)
T - The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse (April)
T - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore (April)
T - Betwixters: Once Upon a Time by Laura C. Cantu (June)
T - The Windfall by Diksha Basu (June)
T - The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor (June)
T - Lost Boy by Christina Henry (June)
T - The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana (June)
T - Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (June)
T - If Your Monster Won't Go to Bed by Denise Vega (June)

Well, I got 13 books read in June, kind of. Four of them were just sneak peeks, which are only part of books, but still I got them read. Sadly, I did not get many reviews written this month (what I spent the month doing, I'm not really sure, but it certainly wasn't getting stuff done on the blog. I'm going to pretend I was just being nice to Joood - Hooligan because she was a klutz and hurt herself which cut down on her blog time. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Next month I will do better, maybe. - Katie

Review Believe Me by Eddie Izzard

Genre: Memoir

Published: June 13, 2017

Pages: 400

Goodreads

Synopsis

Critically acclaimed, award-winning British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard details his childhood, his first performances on the streets of London, his ascent to worldwide success on stage and screen, and his comedy shows which have won over audiences around the world.

Over the course of a thirty-year career, Eddie Izzard has proven himself to be a creative chameleon, inhabiting the stage and film and television screen with an unbelievable fervor. Born in Yemen, and raised in Ireland, Wales and post-war England, he lost his mother at the age of six. In his teens, he dropped out of university and took to the streets of London as part of a two-man escape act; when his partner went on vacation, Izzard kept busy by inventing a one-man act, and thus a career was ignited. As a stand-up comedian, Izzard has captivated audiences with his surreal, stream-of-consciousness comedy--lines such as "Cake or Death?" "Death Star Canteen," and "Do You Have a Flag?" have the status of great rock lyrics. As a self-proclaimed "Executive Transvestite," Izzard broke the mold performing in full make-up and heels, and has become as famous for his advocacy for LGBT rights as he has for his art. In Believe Me, he recounts the dizzying rise he made from street busking to London's West End, to Wembley Stadium and New York's Madison Square Garden.

Still performing more than 100 shows a year--thus far in a record-breaking twenty-eight countries worldwide--Izzard is arguably one of today's top Kings of Comedy. With his brand of keenly intelligent humor, that ranges from world history to pop culture, politics and philosophy, he has built an extraordinary fan base that transcends age, gender, and race. Writing with the same candor and razor-sharp insight evident in his comedy, he reflects on a childhood marked by unutterable loss, sexuality and coming out, as well as a life in show business, politics, and philanthropy. Honest and generous, Izzard's Believe Me is an inspired account of a very singular life thus far.

Review

I received a copy of this book through Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.

I guaranteed my copy of this book because I am a fan of Eddie Izzard's stand-up comedy so I jumped at the chance to get to read his memoir. It mostly didn't let me down. I do think that my experience with the book would have been improved by listening to the audiobook rather than reading the book. While I'm familiar with Izzard's comedy style, I think the humor would have been more effective delivered by him via audio. And I may splurge and buy the audiobook at some point to test this theory.

While I fully understand the concept of a memoir, I have come to expect that memoirs by people I know as comedians will be funny, and Believe Me was not nearly as funny as I was expecting it to be (this may have been helped if I'd had the audiobook). However, this may be due in part to the fact that Izzard is not strictly a comedian. In fact, he apparently has a passion for drama, so I learned something new, which is always a good thing.

The writing style in Believe Me is not like Izzard's comedy style, which is understandable after reading the book and learning how he builds his routines, but the tag-line kind of led me to believe that they'd be fairly similar (so Mr. Izzard, if you happen to read this, for Believe Me 2.0 could you add in some more jokey stuff like the jazz chickens?) And I probably really shouldn't complain about how serious the book ended up being, considering all of the events that shaped his childhood and young adult life. I just have this idea in my head of what he's like, and he basically just said "Ha! Fuck your ideas about me. You know nothing Jon Snow." He's not wrong, I basically knew nothing about him it turns out. So I found this book very enlightening and informative.

Overall I give Believe Me 4 out of 5 stars. - Katie

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

Eddie Izzard is a world-renowned comedian, actor, writer, runner, and activist. He made his West End debut in 1993 in a one-man show called Live at the Ambassadors, for which he received an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement. He recently appeared on television as Dr. Abel Gideon in Hannibal, and he produced and starred in the FX Networks series The Riches. His films include Valkyrie; Ocean’s Thirteen and Ocean’s Twelve; Across the Universe; Mystery Men; Shadow of the Vampire; The Cat’s Meow; Lost Christmas; Castles in the Sky; and Whisky Galore. His stage appearances include David Mamet’s Race and The Cryptogram; the title role in Marlowe’s Edward II; 900 Oneonta; and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg in London and on Broadway, which garnered him a Tony nomination for Best Actor. Izzard’s hit one-man shows include Dress to Kill, Stripped, and Force Majeure. His performance in Dress to Kill earned him two Emmy Awards. In 2010, the documentary Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story received an Emmy nomination. In 2009, Izzard ran forty-three marathons in fifty-one days throughout the United Kingdom, and in 2016, he ran twenty-seven marathons in twenty-seven days across South Africa in honor of Nelson Mandela’s twenty-seven years in prison. By running these seventy marathons he has helped raise £4.8 million ($6 million) for the UK charity Sport Relief.

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Review The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

Genre: YA Horror

Published: September 15, 2015

Pages: 419

Goodreads

Synopsis

Three students: dead.
Carly Johnson: vanished without a trace.

Two decades have passed since an inferno swept through Elmbridge High, claiming the lives of three teenagers and causing one student, Carly Johnson, to disappear. The main suspect: Kaitlyn, "the girl of nowhere."

Kaitlyn's diary, discovered in the ruins of Elmbridge High, reveals the thoughts of a disturbed mind. Its charred pages tell a sinister version of events that took place that tragic night, and the girl of nowhere is caught in the center of it all. But many claim Kaitlyn doesn't exist, and in a way, she doesn't - because she is the alter ego of Carly Johnson.

Carly gets the day. Kaitlyn has the night. It's during the night that a mystery surrounding the Dead House unravels and a dark, twisted magic ruins the lives of each student that dares touch it.

Debut author Dawn Kurtagich masterfully weaves together a thrilling and terrifying story using psychiatric reports, witness testimonials, video footage, and the discovered diary - and as the mystery grows, the horrifying truth about what happened that night unfolds.

Review

I received an audiobook version of this book through Audiofile Sync's summer reading program for teens free of charge with no expectations. This is my honest review.

This book hooked me from the beginning. I was curious to understand the relationship between Carly and Kaitlyn. It seemed pretty straightforward at first; Carly got the day and Kaitlyn got the night, and that's just the way it had always been. I kind of wondered how their body didn't end up exhausted, but apparently it worked for them. But now I think Kaitlyn is a very unreliable narrator because I don't think she told me the full truth, although it's also very possible she never knew the full truth herself. In any case, by the end of the book I was questioning everything I thought I knew about the story. I'm still trying to figure it out now, weeks later, and when a book leaves me pondering it for weeks, that's awesome.

The story is told through a variety of diary entries, witness testimony, and narration of video diary entries. It provided a unique view on the events from a variety of perspectives, but it was not particularly conducive to getting to the bottom of things. In spite of that, I really liked this format, probably because I wasn't being spoon-fed all the information.

The audiobook has a full cast of narrators, so all the voices were unique. Additionally, the story can easily be listened to at 1.5 speed, if you are so inclined.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Stephen King and will likely be reading more from Dawn Kurtagich myself in the future. 5 out of 5 stars. - Katie

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

Dawn Kurtagich is a writer of creepy, spooky and psychologically sinister YA fiction, where girls may descend into madness, boys may see monsters in men, and grown-ups may have something to hide.

By the time she was eighteen, she had been to fifteen schools across two continents. The daughter of a British globe-trotter and single mother, she grew up all over the place, but her formative years were spent in Africa—on a mission, in the bush, in the city and in the desert.

She has been lucky enough to see an elephant stampede at close range, a giraffe tongue at very close range, and she once witnessed the stealing of her (and her friends’) underwear by very large, angry baboons. (This will most definitely end up in a book . . . ) While she has quite a few tales to tell about the jumping African baboon spider, she tends to save these for Halloween!

When she was sixteen, she thought she'd be an astronomer and writer at the same time, and did a month-long internship at Cambridge's prestigious Cavendish Laboratories.

She writes over at the YA Scream Queens, a young adult blog for all things horror and thriller, and she is a member of the YA League.

Her life reads like a YA novel.

Review I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Genre: Memoir

Published: October 8, 2013

Pages: 327

Goodreads

Synopsis

I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.

Review

I have been meaning to read this book for a few years now and finally got around to it for Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage month this year (I'm just a bit late getting the review posted). This is a book that I feel like everyone should read, but the people who should read it the most are the people least likely to do so, probably.

Malala's life is fascinating, even without her having been shot by the Taliban, although I imagine fewer people would care about her story without that detail (I know I never would have heard of her without it). I was astonished by the details about her homes and school. It seems like she was basically living in poverty, at least by American standards, but the way she talks about it, it seems like they were pretty well off by Pakistani standards. It was just a bit of a disconnect for me.

I was both intrigued and horrified by her account of how the Taliban took over her beloved Swat valley. I know that we Americans, in general, wonder what would make Muslims turn to and/or support the Taliban, but after reading Malala's account, it makes sense. I imagine if the government and Red Cross had ignored the needs of the residents of New Orleans after Katrian, and the Taliban came in with food, bottled water, and lumber to start repairing the damage for the poor most affected, you'd find a fair few of them supporting the Taliban today, too. Nowhere close to a majority, but enough that getting the Taliban out of New Orleans would be difficult, especially if the National Guard wasn't really trying. It's easy to criticize the Muslims that don't speak out against radical Islamic groups, but it's harder to do that when you put yourself in their shoes, like this book does.

Overall I give I am Malala 5 out of 5 stars. - Katie

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

Malala Yousafzai is a 16 years student from Swat, Pakistan. She is studying in 8th class. She wrote a diary for BBC in early 2009 with a different name "Gul Makai", she wrote about the critical situation in Swat at that time. She later on became famous and worked for children rights in Swat, Pakistan.

She was nominated for a children award by an international organization in 2011. She appeared on many national and international news channels, TV channels and newspapers. She is a brave girl and has the ability to speak out the truth. She struggled for children's Education in her region Swat. She struggled when the militants were fighting against Pakistan Army in Swat and was banning girls' school in Swat.

On 8th October 2012 she was attacked in Swat when coming back from school to home, and thus we created this blog to share love for her and share all the facts about Malala.

Malala is now living and studying in the United Kingdom, and she has started going to school.

Review Diving Under by Ginna Moran

Genre: YA Paranormal

Published: June 27, 2017

Pages:

Goodreads

Synopsis

Eight years after her older sister was swept out to sea, eighteen-year-old Ava Adair still swears off the ocean. It takes a promise of the best vacation of her life aboard the Ocean Jewel with her friends to get her even within reach of the waves. When she steps aboard the luxury yacht to sail the California coastline, the last thing she expects is to gain the attention of gorgeous Carter Stevens, the yacht’s deckhand, who becomes the perfect distraction against her fear of the open water.

On the yacht, a freak accident involving Carter reveals a secret he’s been hiding from Ava. She discovers that he’s a merman and by saving her, he changed her life. One misstep could reveal the new secret they share and ruin the life on land she’s desperate to maintain. Torn between a future on land with her family and a new life at sea, Ava must decide—is her former life worth fighting for, or can she accept that she belongs to the ocean?

Review

I was hired to proofread this book. The only aspects of the story that I influenced were the spelling and grammar. If you feel that my connection to the story makes my review untrustworthy, so be it, but this is my honest review.

So this is a book about mermaids that seem to follow rules similar to the werewolves in Twilight. And you're either going to have to read the book yourself to see what I'm talking about, or take my word for it, because I'm not going into specifics on that count here (spoilers!) And I don't consider it a bad thing. For me, the similarities just helped me to more quickly adjust to the rules, and they were easier to remember.

So now that that's out of the way, will someone please read this book ASAP so that we can talk about it together, because I need to talk about this book with someone. It's like Gossip Girl meets The Little Mermaid with some Twilight werewolf style drama thrown in for good measure, except the relationships between the friends in Diving Under were not nearly as volatile or toxic as those found in Gossip Girl.

For the most part this was a lighthearted read, although there was a fair amount of underlying tension with Ava trying to navigate her changing reality without getting caught. There was even one part that had me in tears from laughing so hard, but those were later to be revealed to be tears of lies!

Overall I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommend it to paranormal fans. - Katie

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

Ginna Moran is a writer living in Austin, Texas but originally from Southern California. She started writing poetry as a teenager in a spiral notebook that she still has tucked away on her desk today. Her love of writing grew after she graduated high school and she completed her first unpublished manuscript at age eighteen.

When she realized her love of writing was her life's passion, she studied literature at Mira Costa College in Northern San Diego. Besides writing novels, she was senior editor, content manager, and image coordinator for Crescent House Publishing Inc. for four years.

Aside from Ginna's professional life, she enjoys binge watching television shows, playing pretend with her daughter, and cuddling with her dogs. Some of her favorite things include chocolate, anything that glitters, cheesy jokes, and organizing her bookshelf.

Ginna Moran loves to hear from readers so visit her online at www.GinnaMoran.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest.

Ginna Moran is currently hard at work on her next novel.

Monday, June 26, 2017

Review Black Book by Dylan Jones

Genre: Science Fiction

Published: December 25, 2013

Pages: 134

Goodreads

Synopsis

Sheriff Jack is a no-nonsense soldier from the future, trapped in the Wild West. He must find and protect the sacred Black Book before someone or something else does. The clock is already ticking for humankind, but for Jack the countdown has only just begun.

Review

I was hired to provide post-publication proofreading for this book. The only aspects of the story that I influenced were the spelling and grammar. If you feel that my connection with the book makes my review untrustworthy, so be it, but this is my honest review.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book, but it ended up being a bit of a trip sort of along the lines of Stephen King's 11/22/63, but with a stronger science fiction storyline. But it was also heavily western. It was kind of a strange combination.

Now I'm a bit ashamed to admit this, but it took me an absurdly long time to figure out how a few of the characters fit into the story, and one of them really should have been obvious. I did finally get there, but it took a while. And trying to puzzle things out kept me thinking about the book even when I wasn't actually reading it.

This story is told from multiple perspectives, and it takes a while to see how the different stories and timelines connect (and there are a couple that are still not clear to me now). I'm also still not entirely sure exactly what is going on in the story (it's the first in a series, so I'm assuming more aspects will start to connect with the next book. But it's a puzzle that I want to figure out, and I really need to determine what the significance of the black book is.

I do wish that the author had opted for a longer book rather than a series at this point (this book is on the short side), but I obviously don't know how involved this tale will end up being, so that wish may change.

Overall I give Black Book 4.5 out of 5 stars. - Katie

Buy the Book

Amazon

Review The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Genre: Contemporary Humor

Published: October 1st, 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 297

Goodreads

Synopsis

An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love.

Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. He is a man who can count all his friends on the fingers of one hand, whose lifelong difficulty with social rituals has convinced him that he is simply not wired for romance. So when an acquaintance informs him that he would make a “wonderful” husband, his first reaction is shock. Yet he must concede to the statistical probability that there is someone for everyone, and he embarks upon The Wife Project. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which he approaches all things, Don sets out to find the perfect partner. She will be punctual and logical—most definitely not a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker, or a late-arriver.

Yet Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is also beguiling, fiery, intelligent—and on a quest of her own. She is looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might be able to help her with. Don's Wife Project takes a back burner to the Father Project and an unlikely relationship blooms, forcing the scientifically minded geneticist to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that love is not always what looks good on paper.

The Rosie Project is a moving and hilarious novel for anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of overwhelming challenges.

Review

I’ve seen this book often, but wasn’t really interested in actually reading. Then, earlier this year, I saw that my library had finally added the audiobook to overdrive. So I decided to put a hold on it and try it out. It took me awhile to get it, and I almost missed checking it out altogether because I didn’t notice the email. But I did get it and I started it as soon as I did.

Oh my goodness! I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But I absolutely loved this book! I ended up having to bring headphones to work with me, because I didn’t want to stop listening to it. I was hooked!

This is absolutely a nerdy romance. Although many people, in and out of the book, assume Don has Asperger’s - but this isn’t stated in the book I guess, if you want to, you can read this thinking Don has a case of high functioning Asperger’s. Or you can read it as a quirky romance. Or both even. Whatever floats your boat.

This is listed as a romantic comedy, but I didn’t really read it so much as a comedy. I found myself frustrated along with Don at the situations he found himself in because of his social awkwardness. It brought attention to how often people are not understanding or accepting of those of us who are different.

I really loved this book and the characters in it. I thought the wife project was a bad idea, but it was amusing to watching how that panned out. I especially liked how he kept saying how Rosie and him weren’t compatible. It reminded me of how often I would think and say things like that about my husband. We’ve been married almost 7 years now, by the way.

The worst part of this whole thing is that it took place in Australia (for most of it) and there wasn’t a single mention of a platypus. But I suppose I can forgive it. Just this once. But I’m putting a hold on the second book immediately, because I need to read more.

5 Platypires - Joood - Hooligan

Buy the Book

Amazon

About the Author

Graeme Simsion is a former IT consultant and the author of two nonfiction books on database design who decided, at the age of fifty, to turn his hand to fiction. His first novel, The Rosie Project, was published in 2013 and translation rights have been sold in over thirty-five languages. Graeme lives in Australia with his wife, Anne, and their two children.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

#MadLibMonday - Diving Under by Ginna Moran

When I was growing up, I loved Mad Libs. The excitement of sort of writing your own story really appealed to me. So I thought it would be fun to mesh that love with my love of books by turning blurbs into mad libs and letting you guys write your own book blurbs.

For anyone that doesn't know how Mad Libs work, I will ask you for certain parts of speech or other specific things (i.e.: date, age, color, etc.) which you will write down. After you have completed your list, scroll down below the cover image to find the redacted blurb. Then read through it substituting your words where applicable. Try not to laugh. (Laughing is actually strongly encouraged, because this is supposed to be funny.)

Some brief definitions of the parts of speech.
Noun: Person, place, or thing.
Verb: Describes or indicates action.
Adverb: Modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb expressing manner, place, time, or degree (gently, here, now, very).
Adjective: Names an attribute of a noun (pretty, blue, large)
Pronoun: A word that can function as a noun (I, we, they)
Preposition: a word that combines with a noun or pronoun to form a phrase that usually acts as an adverb, adjective, or noun (on, after, for)

And with that, here we go.

1: Number

2: Noun

3: Verb

4: Adjective

5: Plural noun

6: Name

7: Verb ending in ing

8: Mythical creature

9: Noun

10: Preposition

11: Verb

Genre: YA Fantasy

Published: June 27, 2017

Pages: 278

Goodreads // Amazon

( 1: Number ) years after her older ( 2: Noun ) was swept out to sea, eighteen-year-old Ava Adair still ( 3: Verb ) off the ocean. It takes a promise of the ( 4: Adjective ) vacation of her life aboard the Ocean Jewel with her ( 5: Plural noun ) to get her even within reach of the waves. When she steps aboard the luxury yacht to sail the California coastline, the last thing she expects is to gain the attention of gorgeous ( 6: Name ) Stevens, the yacht’s deckhand, who becomes the perfect distraction against her fear of the open water.

On the yacht, a freak accident involving Carter reveals a secret he’s been ( 7: Verb ending in ing ) from Ava. She discovers that he’s a ( 8: Mythical creature ) and by saving her, he changed her life. One misstep could reveal the new ( 9: Noun ) they share and ruin the life on land she’s desperate to maintain. Torn between a future on land ( 10: Preposition ) her family and a new life at sea, Ava must decide—is her former life worth fighting for, or can she ( 11: Verb ) that she belongs to the ocean?

Now that you've had your fun, here's the real synopsis for Diving Under by Ginna Moran.

If you enjoyed this mad lib, comment with your list below (if you dare) so that the rest of us can get a chuckle out of it as well. - Katie

#MadLibMonday - Creatura by Nely Cab

1: Verb ending in ing

2: Noun

3: Verb

4: Adjective

5: Noun

6: Noun

7: Verb

8: Adverb

9: Verb

10: State

11: Noun

Genre: YA Fantasy

Published: June 14, 2015

Pages: 300

Goodreads // Amazon

When seventeen year-old Isis Martin is having trouble ( 1:Verb ending in ing ) due to perturbing dreams of a horrific growling ( 2: Noun ), she decides to ( 3: Verb ) her fear. But what Isis discovers is something other than a ( 4: Adjective ) entity.

The human-like ( 5: Noun ) offers Isis assurance that he is not a ( 6: Noun ) of her imagination. Unwilling to ( 7: Verb ) his avowal, Isis sets his words to contest by asking the entity to prove himself—a dare, he ( 8: Adverb ) welcomes.

It is in her dreams that Isis innocently ( 9: Verb ) upon the silent existence of the divine lineage of those that man has long forgotten.

In a quaint town, deep in south ( 10: State ), this story leads Isis onto the path of impermissible love and captivating life-changing truths. Isis Martin's ( 11: Noun ) is sure to leave any reader ravenous for more.

Now that you've had your fun, read the real blurb for Creatura by Nely Cab.

When seventeen year-old Isis Martin is having trouble sleeping due to perturbing dreams of a horrific growling beast, she decides to confront her fear. But what Isis discovers is something other than a menacing entity.

The human-like creature offers Isis assurance that he is not a figment of her imagination. Unwilling to accept his avowal, Isis sets his words to contest by asking the entity to prove himself—a dare, he readily welcomes.

It is in her dreams that Isis innocently stumbles upon the silent existence of the divine lineage of those that man has long forgotten.

In a quaint town, deep in south Texas, this story leads Isis onto the path of impermissible love and captivating life-changing truths. Isis Martin's journey is sure to leave any reader ravenous for more.

If you enjoyed this mad lib, comment with your list below (if you dare) so the rest of us can get a chuckle out of it as well. - Katie

#MadLibMonday - An Exaltation of Larks by Suanne Laqueur

1: Age

2: Noun

3: Plural Noun
4: Adjective

5: Proper Noun

6: Verb

7: Adjective

8: Pronoun

9: Noun

10: Verb

11: Adjective

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: November 22, 2016

Pages: 550

Goodreads // Amazon

September 11, 1973: ( 1: Age )-year-old Alejandro Penda watches from his apartment window as Santiago, Chile falls to a military coup, destroying his ( 2: Noun ) and his childhood. Arriving alone in America, he’s taken in by the ( 3: Plural Noun ): a prominent family in the town of Guelisten. Though burdened by ( 4: Adjective ) grief for his disappeared parents, he becomes fiercely loyal to the Larks, eventually marrying one of their daughters, Valerie.

September 11, 2001: Javier Landes watches from his apartment window as ( 5: Proper Noun ) falls to terrorism. As one of Manhattan’s top-paid male escorts, this professional lover has never lacked for company and is loyal only to himself. But in the wake of 9/11, Jav is named guardian for an orphaned nephew in Guelisten and must ( 6: Verb ) his carefully-guarded heart to pain he's long suppressed.

Alex, Valerie and Jav meet first in their twenties, with a sudden attraction each finds ( 7: Adjective ) and compelling. When they meet again in their forties, ( 8: Pronoun ) discover(s) not only is their bond still strong, but their life experiences are strangely similar. All have been shaped by separate 9/11's, and their unfinished ( 9: Noun ) from the past will change everything they know about love, loyalty and friendship.

"Life has rules. You cannot come in the middle of the night and ( 10: Verb ) what we agreed isn't yours."

Across three decades and two continents, Suanne Laqueur's fifth novel explores the unpredictability of ( 11: Adjective ) attraction, how family ties are forged, torn and mended, and how love's downfall can turn to exaltation.

Now that your fun is through, here's the actual blurb for An Exaltation of Larks by Suanne Laqueur.

September 11, 1973: Eleven-year-old Alejandro Penda watches from his apartment window as Santiago, Chile falls to a military coup, destroying his family and his childhood. Arriving alone in America, he’s taken in by the Larks: a prominent family in the town of Guelisten. Though burdened by unresolved grief for his disappeared parents, he becomes fiercely loyal to the Larks, eventually marrying one of their daughters, Valerie.

September 11, 2001: Javier Landes watches from his apartment window as New York City falls to terrorism. As one of Manhattan’s top-paid male escorts, this professional lover has never lacked for company and is loyal only to himself. But in the wake of 9/11, Jav is named guardian for an orphaned nephew in Guelisten and must open his carefully-guarded heart to pain he's long suppressed.

Alex, Valerie and Jav meet first in their twenties, with a sudden attraction each finds strange and compelling. When they meet again in their forties, they discover not only is their bond still strong, but their life experiences are strangely similar. All have been shaped by separate 9/11's, and their unfinished business from the past will change everything they know about love, loyalty and friendship.

"Life has rules. You cannot come in the middle of the night and take what we agreed isn't yours."

Across three decades and two continents, Suanne Laqueur's fifth novel explores the unpredictability of sexual attraction, how family ties are forged, torn and mended, and how love's downfall can turn to exaltation.

If you enjoyed this mad lib, comment with your list below (if you dare) so that the rest of us can get a chuckle out of it too. - Katie