My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh

I read this based on a colleague's recommendation.  That recommendation was spot on!

• For a story loaded with creepy characters, it is charming.
• Additionally, for a story loaded with broken characters, it is charming.
• The character isn't about who is good or is bad.  It is about the grey area in between.
• As a former Baton Rouge resident I loved revisiting the unique atmosphere of the city. I especially loved the scene set on the LSU campus after a major football victory.

This is What You Just Put In Your Mouth by Patrick Di Justo

I wanted to like this book.  I really did.

• However, it seems to have the theory that if a substance isn't an everyday word you shouldn't eat it.
• This book is equal parts preaching and scare tactics.

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

• The Ikea satire started out strong, but lost steam at about 60% of the way through.
• All the Ikea-esque names peppering the text were both distracting and confusing.
• The characters were flat and stereotypical.

The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle that Set Them Free by Hector Tobar

I picked up this book because the experiences of miners trapped underground without contact with the outside world intrigued me.  However, that is not the most interesting part of the book.

• The book covers immediately before the collapse of the mine, the time the miners were underground, and the year or so following their escape.
• The story consists of primarily of three themes: the psychological experience of the miners, the experiences of their friends and family, and technical details of the mine.  It is relatively light on the technical details.
• Religion, specifically Catholicism, plays a huge role in experiences of the miners and their families.  A significant portion of the book is devoted to this .
• The experience of miners buried underground for nearly 70 days reminded me of the cushiness of my chosen profession, librarianship.
• I listened to this as an audiobook and enjoyed the narration.
• Warning: Multiple points in the book brought me to tears.  There were at least three times I checked my eyes to see if they were bloodshot before leaving my car.  There were other times I turned it off because I didn't want to show up to work crying.

Debt by David Graeber

Graeber combines an in depth history of debt in numerous cultures with his political ideology.

• Graeber clearly presents his bias in the first few chapters with his attacks on the IMF.
• Debt fails to recognize the complex differences between consumer and national debt.
• Overall, the informative value of Debt is devalued by an overzealous personal agenda.

The book of Aron by Jim Shepard

• I felt like I had already read it as I was reading it.
• It is well written with complex characters.
• Overall, Shepard brings nothing new to the subject matter or genre.

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

After hearing the author speak at ALA Midwinter, I decided to read this novel.

• It is written for middle grade readers.
• Gemeinhart deals with the complexities of childhood cancer in an approachable way that captures the complexities of emotions surrounding it.
• There is adventure, and a dog.

The Mockingbird Next Door by Marja Mills

The premise of the book appears to clash with Harper Lee's behavior of the last four decades.  The premise of a journalist moving in next door and becoming part of Lee's group of friends is unlikely.  This is the appeal of The Mockingbird Next Door.

• The narrative moves along quickly.
• Mills focuses on relationships between Lee, her sister, and community members.  The focus is not on a chronology of Lee's life.
• It is unclear how much Lee withheld from publication.  The author is upfront that Lee controlled what was "on the record."
• In a society where mundane daily activities of celebrities are broadcast to the world, Lee's life is unique.
• Fun facts: 
• Lee preferred communication through fax because she didn't like technology and was hard of hearing.
• Lee did not own a washing machine or dryer.  She used a nearby laundromat.

Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Haruf crafts a compelling tale about aging and loneliness.

• The novel a quick read with a compelling plot.
• The novel examines the demands of familial relationships on older family members.
• One short section of the book touched on topics of other Harfu novels set in the same small town.  That short bit became a bit too meta for my tastes.
• Overall, an enjoyable read.

I Take You by Eliza Kennedy

Kennedy has flashes of humor and fun. Overall, I Take You is drug down by predictable chick lit conventions (e.g. an engagement).

• At first the main character seems atypical.
• There is one amazing and seriously laugh out load scene. 
• The rest of the book rests on predictable conventions of chick lit.

Positive Discipline: The First Three Years: From Infant to Toddler... by Nelsen & Duffy

With an 18 month old I'm starting to seek information about discipline.  I fear I may be too lenient.  This book was extremely helpful.

• Nelsen and Duffy provide practical information for new parents.
• My biggest take-away was that "Practice makes better" in parenting.
• Summaries with bullet-points help reinforce the main points of each section.
• This book isn't about one right way to parent.  Instead it is about different options and weighing the readers individual values.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

There are some problems that librarians generally don't have.  For example, which limo service to take.  However, there are problems that librarians do suffer.  In my case, I suffer from the librarian problem of "can't sleep because a book is too good."  

The Girl on the Train was a source of the most recent occurrence of this librarian problem for me.  The last time I had this problem was last year when reading Andy Weir's The Martian.

• There have been a number of comparisons between The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl.  In my opinion, The Girl on the Train is more engaging.  Hands down I prefer The Girl on the Train.
• Each of the main characters is surprisingly complex.  
• Even in the end, I'm not sure who I should trust.

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

My first impression of Red Queen was very Hunger Gamey.  In the end, Red Queen grew into its own story.

• Red Queen is a YA dystopian fantasy novel.
• There are a number of cliches found in many YA novels, dystopian or otherwise.
• In comparison to other YA dystopian novels, Red Queen's characters are complex and flawed.
• Two more books are expected in this series along with their movies.