Mini Book Reviews

I can get really behind in my book reviews. Some I don't even bother reviewing since it's been too long...but here's a short list from over the holidays.


1. Forever His by Shelly Thacker. Historical romance. I got this one for free for my Kindle app on my phone and I was sick and this was sheer brain candy. The sexy scenes were fun but that's about it. The whole book was full of male and female stereotypes, which is why I don't usually read historical romances.

2. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I saw the movie adaptation way back when. So I finally got around to reading the book. The movie was adapted for a wider audience, for those who don't normally read magical realism. They took out those elements that I kind of find endearing and quirky in magical realism books. But the story was a bit uneven and it wasn't a favorite.

3. Once Upon a Time: New Fairy Tales edited by Paula Guran. I love fairy tales and fairy-tale retellings so this one was a hit. Some were better than others but I really enjoyed the retelling of the 12 swans. I highly recommend this one!

4. You Are Not So Smart by David McRaney. Fun and quick book about cognitive biases, heuristics, and fallacies that make us all not quite so smart. Very enlightening.

5. Night Film by Marisha Pessl. I didn't quite like how it ended

but the overall story and the experience of reading it with news articles, and web pages and portfolios actually scanned into the book so you feel like you are reading and seeing what the characters are was new and I liked it. It was dark and gritty and kept me up a few nights longer than I wanted to be :)

6. Stepford Wives by Ira Levin. A sci-fi and somewhat dystopic classic that's been on my list for quite some time. It was well-done. I was highly disturbed. And those are the kinds that make us think. It's one that should be read by everyone.

7. Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay. A dystopic retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I liked it. I didn't love it. The world didn't quite jump out at me but I enjoyed the romance and easy ending.

8. The Pyschopath Test by Jon Ronson. I love this author. He's funny and real and quirky and it made the story human. He focuses on psychopaths this time around and the history of how the psychopath test was formulated. He pokes wholes, makes us paranoid, and makes us realize we all have a little bit of the psychopath within. Good stuff.

9. Skyjumpers by Peggy Eddleman. This was a breath of fresh air. Just when I thought I had to give up on young adult dystopia. There was enough story and character to really make this stand out. I enjoy it more when the author decides to not give too much detail about why the world is a dystopia, maybe a few hints, but nothing too glaring. She combined the efforts beautifully and I really look forward to more in the series.