Bullet Point Book Reviews: July 2015

Monday, July 27, 2015

This YA novel will appeal to adult readers too.
The novel follows a summer and fall school semester of high school student Willowdean.
The main character is likable, has faults, and is learning about herself.
As can be expected with a YA novel, there are love interests, frenemies, and conflict with parents.
It is a quick-paced read that has a satisfying conclusion.

Warning: this is a lengthy book. It is a significant time investment. It is a good one.

A Little Life follows a group of four close college friends throughout their life.
The writing style feels similar to Tartt (Goldfinch, A Secret History). This book focuses heavily on the character development and the process, not on the plot.
Each of the four main characters is slowly revealed. This is a novel about growth, maturity, and how the "core" of a personality.
This novel isn't a light read. It addresses topics of extreme child sex abuse and violence.
In short, I loved this book. I experienced major distress when my ebook loan from my local library expired and I still have 200 pages left. This resulted in me driving over a lunch break to pick up a print copy so I could finish. I couldn't leave the characters unfinished!

This is a nonfiction book written for children, but also appealing to adults.
The book follows the life of Nicholas II of Russia and his family.
Along with describing the life of the royal family, the book provides the contrast of what daily life was like for peasants in Russia.
The book includes historical figures like Rasputin, the extended Royal family, and Lenin.

I'm not a huge fan of pop economics so I hold a bit of reservation about reading, or in my case listening, to Think Like a Freak.

The authors encourage the reader to let go of normative baggage when problem solving. This isn't unusual or new advice. However, the message is delievered in a persuasive way.
Like many other pop economics publications, Levitt and Dubner fall prey to focusing on controversial topics. At times, if feels as if the topics they address are the print equivalent of click-bait.
This book covers a number of topics briefly. It is great for readers with a short attention span.
My biggest takeaway is to drop moral baggage when analyzing a problem. When ever I would think something "should" happen it is time to reconsider my assumption.

Slaughter delivers again with a quick-packed thriller.

No character is trustworthy on face. The reader spends a bit of time an energy trying to figure out who to trust.
The topic of the crimes committed is pretty gritty and not for the easily queasy.
As most thrillers, the novel is predictably unpredictable. The last third of the novel feels formulaic with so many loose ends getting tightly wrapped up.
If you like classic thrillers, then this is for you.

I started reading this book, and then stopped. After listening to Amy Poehler's audibooks, I wanted to hear Rachel Dratch as the narrator.

Unlike Fey & Poehler's recent books, this is not a book about what it is like to be super successful. As a seven year veteran of SNL Dratch has a solid career, but she isn't staring in big budget films.
Dratch is surprisingly down to earth.
One of the highlights for me was hearing the backstory of what inspired the Debbie Downer character. It appears that Dratch doesn't realize the very useful terminology she introduced into the lexicon to accurately describe a specific annoying pattern of behavior.
Only a small section of the book is about Dratch's career. The books is really about her life.
Dratch is candid about personal struggles and difficult feelings.

First a disclaimer: I LOVED A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. Given that history, I was primed to like Marra's most recent release. And, I do.

This collection of short stories is just barely too disjointed to be a novel. In some ways The Tsar of Love and Techno feels like a novel.
The short stories follow related casts of characters from the early 20th century to nearly the present day.
The characters are gritty, but lovable.
The settings feel incredibly realistic. Then again, I've never been to the former USSR, so I'm not the most qualified judge.
I found The Tsar of Love and Techno incredibly enjoyable. I rarely re-read fiction, but I'll likely revisit this a few months.

This novel is true to Atwood's earlier work. It is literary fiction about a dystopian society.
There is a bit of a roller coaster effect. The characters struggle. Then they find stability, only to face more struggle.
The plot is compelling in describing the intersection of economic desperation and scientific ethics.
If you liked earlier Atwood, you'll like this.