Rock Paper Scissors

Rock Paper ScissorsTitle: Rock Paper Scissors
Author: Alice Feeney
Genre: Thriller
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 294
Rating:

My Thoughts

I really liked the premise of ROCK PAPER SCISSORS because of Corey. It was fun to read a thriller about a character with face blindness. I liked the alternating POVs and I liked reading the secret letters from Adam’s wife. The story was suspenseful from the get-go and I wanted to keep reading so I knew what was going on, what was going to happen, and how it would all come together in the end.

As I read the story, I figured out some of the mystery. I didn’t figure out everything, and I was a little disappointed in the ending because I thought it was kind of confusing. I think if Feeney had stopped it one chapter sooner, the ending would’ve been better. Maybe, I’m wrong and I missed the point of the last chapter but that’s how I felt.

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Broken (In The Best Possible Way)

Broken (In The Best Possible Way)Title: Broken (in the Best Possible Way)
Author: Jenny Lawson
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 304
Rating:

My Thoughts

Back in 2017, I read FURIOUSLY HAPPY and loved it. It actually kind of changed my life. I realized in a very profound way that I’m not alone. And, even when I’m in the depths of depression, it’s okay to laugh and enjoy life. I’ve wanted to read more of her books so I read her newest one, BROKEN (IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY).

Even though this book didn’t have as profound of an effect on me as FURIOUSLY HAPPY did, I still appreciated Lawson’s candor and openness with her struggles with mental and chronic illness. I find the way she describes things to be a very raw, honest, unique look at how someone deals with their pain. At times, I felt like she was stealing parts from my own life as she described hers. I feel like she and I are kindred spirits. Her humor and writing are definitely not for everyone. In fact, if you’re easily offended, then I wouldn’t even attempt to read her books. I’m glad I found her, though, and I’ll keep reading what she has to write.

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To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

To All The Boys I’ve Loved BeforeTitle: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Genre: Romance, Young Adult
Format: Kindle
Pages: 355
Rating:

My Thoughts

I enjoyed TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE a lot until the ending, which almost ruined the whole book for me. I liked Lara Jean and her sisters. I also liked the interaction between Lara Jean and the two main guys, the boy next door and Mister Cocky-Handsome-Everyone-Loves-Me. Even though love triangles are my least favorite trope, I decided to be optimistic and I told myself that maybe Lara Jean would end up with the boy I want her to. Of course, all kinds of chaos ensued and it was a lot of fun to read and witness. I just wish Lara Jean the boy she chose had a suitable ending. Instead, I felt like it was very ambiguous and left me hanging in a bad way. I like choosing to read the next book in a series because I want to, not because I have to.

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The Magnolia Palace

The Magnolia PalaceTitle: The Magnolia Palace
Author: Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 337
Rating:

My Thoughts

I was hooked on THE MAGNOLIA PALACE from the get-go. I adored it from start to finish. When I’d put the book down, I’d keep thinking about it and I’d want to pick it right back up again. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I really loved the dual timeline. I thought it was the perfect vehicle for the story, especially with the mystery aspect of it. I was more invested in Lillian’s story than Veronica’s. I didn’t dislike Veronica or anything. I was just more interested in the 1919 time period than the 1966 one.

I had no idea that Henry Clay Frick, his daughter, and the Frick Collection were real as I read the story. I didn’t even know that Lillian was based on a model from the 1900’s. I loved reading the author’s note and finding out that Davis mixed non-fiction with fiction to create the magnificent story that is THE MAGNOLIA PALACE. I don’t know what historians or relatives of the Frick family and the model would think about the fiction, but I thought it made for a compelling read.

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How To

How ToTitle: How To
Author: Randall Munroe
Genre: Humor, Non-Fiction
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 320
Rating:

My Thoughts

Corey turned me onto the xkcd webcomic about a decade ago. I’m not the most religious follower, but I do like his humor. I was really excited to read HOW TO and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved it!

I loved all the crazy things Munroe thought of doing using absurd, over-the-top scientific methods. Accompanied by his typical stylistic stick figure drawings made it a delight to read. I also loved that since I was in a physics class last semester, a lot of the physics he used and talked about were things I had just learned, albeit on a much simpler level. One of my favorite chapters was “How to Throw Things” because he has an interactive element on his website with the physics built in. I think it’s hilarious that Thor and Chris Hemsworth are available throwers.