Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Goodreads Summary:

It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City – and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be – and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you’ll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

My Thoughts:

Well I hated the movie of Nick and Nora so I wasn't expecting to like the book. As it turns out movies sometimes ruin everything! I actually really enjoyed this fast read. The characters were accurate teen characters without being overly annoying or cliched. I liked the flare that the writers brought to a pretty basic story.

There weren't any shocking parts to this read and frankly that is what I liked about it. Everyone could tell a story like this as it feels like a story I lived. I enjoyed the music references but didn't notice them that much. I had heard so much about how the music references would blow my mind, but honestly, they weren't that big of a deal to me.  

I would recommend this book to David Levithan fans, you won't be disappointed. I would also recommend this as a summer read, it was fast and light.

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of Hung.

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Goodreads Summary:

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

My Thoughts:

Just when I think I have figured out Lauren Oliver's writing style she mixes it up on me, and I couldn't love it more. Panic is another excellently written story that draws you in from the first page and spits you out at the end feeling like you have just been on the most amazing magical carpet ride and it didn't want it to end.

As you can tell I really enjoyed Panic. It was a fast read but it made me think which sometimes those two things don't go very well together. A big theme of this book is motivation, meaning what motivates us to do the crazy things that we do. Revenge and love, which oddly are so closely entwined are huge motivators in this book. At no point did I feel annoyed with any of the characters, even when they did predictable things. Lauren Oliver writes this story in such a way that it comes off as human behavior rather than a cliched book idea.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting good read. I think fans of Lauren Oliver will be pleased that she has created another snap shot world that will be looked at fondly over and over again.

While writing this review I was listening to the birds outside squabble over bits of bread in the grass.

Graze This Tastiness...

Recently I signed up for Graze.com snacks. The boxes are delivered right to my work. If I was more with it in the morning I would pack snacks and a lunch, but alas until I have been up for a couple of hours and have consumed at least two cups of coffee I barely remember how to blink.

So basically graze is perfect for someone like me. I forget to take food with me almost everyday and end up eating something crappy and fast or I skip eating all day until I get home. It only took two boxes for me to become a fan of graze. They are portion controlled for the perfect amount of snack. I have a tendency to not eat enough during the day and then eat too much at night. These snacks help a bit with that habit. They also use recycled material for their packaging and encourage further recycling. I am going to try a little planter box of herbs. I will let you all know how that works out for me.

When I signed up, I found a random coupon code to get a couple of boxes for free. In case you all want to to sign up feel free to use my friend code: MALIND43P

This is not an attempt to get money off of my own subscription. If anyone wants to use my friend code I will be donating the discount I get right back to Graze for their farming school in Uganda. You can read more about that here.

So far I am in love with the "hot cross yum" mix and the "wholegrain banana caramel dippers."

A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber

Goodreads Summary:

Lydia Hoffman owns the shop on Blossom Street. In the year since it opened, A Good Yarn has thrived-and so has Lydia. A lot of that is due to Brad Goetz. But when Brad's ex-wife reappears, Lydia is suddenly afraid to trust her new found happiness.Three women join Lydia's newest class. Elise Beaumont, retired and bitterly divorced, learns that her onetime husband is reentering her life. Bethanne Hamlin is facing the fallout from a much more recent divorce. And Courtney Pulanski is a depressed and overweight teenager, whose grandmother's idea of helping her is to drag her to seniors' swim sessions-and to the knitting class at A Good Yarn.

My Thoughts:

I would say that I mostly enjoyed this book but it isn't anywhere near as good as The Friday Night Knitting Club which is in the same vein. The book was cheerful and sweet and a nice easy read that didn't demand anything from me.

But then, it didn't demand anything from me, including my full attention. I admit that I got distracted more than once while trying to get through this read. This isn't to say that the characters weren't likable but I just never got to the point of feeling fully invested in these people. 

I have not read the first book in this series so I think that has made a difference for me since I never grew an attachment to Lydia so I kind of didn't care what happened to her. Also, I am tired of cliched female characters and why does the fat one always loose weight in order to truly like herself? Can't fat girls love themselves? The answer is yes. I love myself and I am a fat girl. I just think it perpetuates this societal norm that fat is ugly and worthless. I just don't accept that idea.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy chick lit. I would say there are better options out there but this is just fine for a rainy weekend.

While writing this review I was listening to my neighbor's pugs going wild running all over the place and barking at god knows what. How can such little dogs make so much noise? The husband and I call it the daily round of "Pug Wild." My bestie thinks I should call them Thunder Pugs are Go! Either way those little shits make a lot of weird noise.

Dog Gone, Back Soon by Nick Trout

***I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy, this in no way impacts the review I give this book***

Goodreads Summary:

When Dr. Cyrus Mills returned home after inheriting his estranged father's veterinary practice, The Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the last thing he wanted was to stay in Eden Falls, Vermont, a moment longer than absolutely necessary. However, the previously reclusive veterinarian pathologist quickly found that he actually enjoyed treating animals and getting to know the eccentric residents of the tiny provincial town-especially an alluring waitress named Amy.

So Cyrus is now determined to make Bedside Manor thrive. Not an easy goal, given that Healthy Paws, the national veterinary chain across town, will stop at nothing to crush its mom-and-pop competitor. And the rival vet practice isn't Cyrus's only competition; a handsome stranger shows up out of nowhere who clearly has a mysterious past with Amy. To top it off, Cyrus finds himself both the guardian of a very unique orphaned dog and smack in the middle of serious small town drama.

This charming sequel to The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs is a wild and delightful ride through one jam- packed week, where Cyrus must figure out how to outsmart the evil veterinary conglomerate, win back Amy's heart, solve several tricky veterinary cases, find a home for an orphaned dog, and detangle himself from an absurd case of mistaken identity. DOG GONE, BACK SOON brims with Nick Trout's trademark humor, charm, and captivating animal stories, and is proof that all dogs, lost or not, on four feet or two, deserve a second chance.

My Thoughts:

I did not read the first book in this series. I will be looking for it from the library or amazon as soon as I finish this review. I did not feel at a disadvantage for not having read the first book about Dr. Cyrus Mills. I got enough background information throughout the read that I never felt left out of the story. Additionally, I wasn't hit over the head with it all at the beginning like normal series books.

I liked this read quite a bit. I loved the way the story naturally unfolded and I liked that it was told from the male perspective. Sometimes it seems like only female narratives can capture quirky and relate-able characters. I liked that this book referenced pop culture via movie quotes and each character had a distinct voice and personality within a cohesive story. Cyrus is likable even though he is a bit awkward and weird. From the first chapter you can relate with Cyrus and you want him to figure things out. Cyrus likes puzzles in his medical practice but it was nice that this book showed how hard it is for vets to figure out diagnoses and sometimes they are wrong.

Also, I love factoids about animals and when someone can accurately describe pets and their owners. I giggled more than once while reading this book, and as a bonus these giggles happened when Nick Trout intended with his writing. You can tell that Nick Trout is a vet, but we won't hold that against him in this case. He might be one of the rare vets that seems to like people and animals equally and therefore has figured out how to capture both on the page.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light read that makes you feel good.

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of Castle and my husband making soup.

The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling

Goodreads Summary:

A BIG NOVEL ABOUT A SMALL TOWN ...

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils ... Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

My Thoughts:

I wanted to love this book when I heard that it was JK Rowling releasing a non fantasy book. As it turns out, I only half liked it. It was a bit slow for my liking and the characters didn't give me a reason to like them. I found that this book was a perfect example of why I am always a little freaked out by small towns and I will never willingly live in one if I can help it. The back stabbing and constant calculations were exhausting to me. Not only is this a picture of local official politics but it is also a picture of social politics. JK points out how much people suck and how evil we are to one another, she does this quiet well. In that respect the book is excellent, I really hated most people by the end of this book. 

The character development was good, I just didn't like any of them. I did like that the first part of the book tied into the ending of the book but they were both really depressing. I have to wonder if anyone who lives in small towns is at all happy or normal. Do any of these people have anything to enjoy or look forward to?

The writing was what we have come to expect from JK Rowling but I just didn't love the story. 

I would recommend this book to the curious JK fan but beyond that I would only recommend this if you like unlikable characters and sad situations.

While writing this review I was listening to an episode of Lost Girl.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Goodreads Summary:

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

My Thoughts: *******SPOILER ALERT********

The trend of having a split narrative in YA is really starting to bother me. In order for this format to work the author has to be really good at creating two very distinct voices and two world that over lap but don't look or sound the same. This can be achieved but most authors fall flat, and this is sadly the case with Veronica Roth.

I loved Divergent. Insurgent was okay. Allegiant was hard to get through. Mostly I wanted to smack both Tris and Tobias and tell them to stop whining already. I don't think Veronica Roth took enough time with her second and third books in this series and the third was not great.

This particular vision of post apocalyptic America was annoying and unconvincing. Genetics are the cause of everything that went wrong and the purity war that came out if it destroyed most of the United States. This led to experimental cities like the one that Tris and Tobias we raised in/ and then left. These cities were supposed to produce those with pure genes which supposedly would lead to making the human genetic code pure and whole again. 

So, of course, Tris has pure genes while Tobais does not. Blah blah blah so bored with how predictable this book was. I even saw Tris sacrificing herself for the greater good and finally kicking the bucket (of course her Mother appeared to her in her death hallucinations). It was so obvious that when the main character of this series died, mostly I was relieved I wouldn't have to read her whining anymore.

I was so disappointed by this read. I had waited for it for months and was completely let down. I wanted so badly to like this book. Alas, we don't always get what we want.

I do not recommend this book to anyone, unless you want to finish out the series. Just don't get your hopes up.

While writing this review I was listing to bits of the TV show Star Crossed.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Goodreads Summary:

Charlie is a freshman.

And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

My thoughts:

In my last review I had nothing more than blah to say about that book. This book was anything but blah. I was taken back to my own high school memories and the lives of my friends back then. I haven't looked back on those days with much fondness until reading this book. For better or worse our personal journeys make us who we are and sometimes it is good to relive it, even if it is through the eyes of someone else.

Stephen Chbosky captured the youth of a generation that hasn't realized they have grown up. We all make stupid choices and it is nice to look back at the common ones with humor and a smile rather than regret which so often comes with the inevitability of maturing. It seems like not so long ago that I met my friend Spencer at a night of Rocky Horror Picture show viewing and poetry (oh the bad poetry!) reading at a mutual friend's home.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It is heart breaking as much as it is heart warming but you come away from it in a good place.

While writing this review I was listening to Asleep by the Smiths.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Goodreads Summary:

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

My Thoughts:

Can I just start by saying blah? There is nothing terrible about this book. There is equally nothing remarkable about this book. It was a fast read but much of the time I was bored, the rest of the time I was annoyed. I disliked the narrative switches. I disliked Ender as a character. I am not a fan of whiny children. I don't love when a book spends so much time talking about how amazing the lead character is but spends almost no time showing it.

I will not read the other books in this series. I will not bother seeing the movie either. I wasn't impressed with the obviousness of the different personalities of the Wiggin children. Of course Peter is cruel and of course Valentine is his opposite so of course Ender is somewhere in the middle. Blah.

I was told this book was awesome. I am telling you it isn't anything special. 

I would not recommend this book, unless you want something that is super predictable and boring.

While writing this review I was watching Sleepy Hallow the TV show.

Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith aka JK Rowling

Goodreads Summary:
A brilliant debut mystery in a classic vein: Detective Cormoran Strike investigates a supermodel's suicide.
After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.
Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.
You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.
Introducing Cormoran Strike, this is the acclaimed first crime novel by J.K. Rowling, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

My Thoughts:

I considered putting this book down more than once and never picking it up again. I continued reading only because I knew that JK Rowling had penned this book and I loved the Harry Potter series. In the end I am glad that I finished the book.

So why did I almost stop reading it? The first half of the book was dreadfully boring and slow. I didn't have a clear picture of the lead character in my mind and I couldn't care less about any of the characters in general. What was clear was that these characters were not at all original. Scene after scene in the book fell flat in setting a stage. I had to make up for the lack of description by filling in much of the stage myself just to have that dashed when the story finally filled those gaps for me. I am not a huge mystery reader, mostly I stick with the Richard Castle variety, so I don't know how an avid mystery reader would like this book but I will say it just felt like one big fat cliche after another.

All of this being sad the second half of the book picked things up for me and by the end I was actually interested in the characters and how the story would end. I was not shocked by the who done it, but I did actually enjoy getting there. I think now that these characters have a lot of potential if Rowling can find her own voice and stop playing into cliched stories.

I would not recommend this to Harry Potter fans. While JK Rowling has a magical way of creating an entire world of fantasy she lacks the ability to set a story it what could be reality. I do see this as a problem she is likely to fix.

I would recommend this to mystery readers, by the end it is a decent read and your lot may be more tolerant of the slow progression in the story. Over all I think this was a decent beginning to a series of mystery novels that I will continue to read.

While writing this review I was listening to Adele.