A to Z Challenge - Z

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

The Zygot Chronicles

Suzanne Finnamore

The strange purgatory of pregnancy has been a fact of life since Eve ate the apple, but never has it been recounted in such brilliant, hilarious detail.

(Amazon)

This looked entertaining when I picked it up... It still awaits its turn to entertain me.

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A to Z Challenge - Y

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

Say You're One of Them

Uwem Akpan

Through the eyes of childhood friends the emotional toll of religious conflict in Ethiopia becomes viscerally clear. (Amazon)

I honestly thought today would be simple, but apparently I've got like no "y" books in my house. Weird!  Anyway, I haven't a clue what this book is about, but it's Oprah so it's gotta be good.

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Newtown: An American Tragedy - Lysiak

Title: Newtown: An American Tragedy

Author: Matthew Lysiak

Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: 

Book Source: 
 
Recommended if you like:

 
What Its About:  
The heartbreaking stories of those killed in December 14, 2012's horrific massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, the deadliest mass shooting at a high school or grade school in U.S. history and the second-deadliest mass shooting by a single person in U.S. history, after the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings.

This book offers a clear timeline of the event, stories of the victims and the neighbors on that day. Also, Lysiak gives in depth understanding of the shooter, Adam Lanza, and the progression and depth of his mental illness and his mother's efforts to get him help. The book also talks briefly of the efforts of some of the victims' families to achieve gun control since that day and the struggles they have faced.

The Bottom Line: 
This was a really good recounting of that horrific day, as well as the years that led up to the horrible event. An interesting read, if you are into this sort of thing, but certainly not a feel-good read of the week. Heartbreaking.

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A to Z Challenge - X

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

The Philadelphia Experiement

Charles Berlita

 The first full-length documented report on a chilling unsolved mystery that's been discussed for years. 

(Amazon)

Ok, I had to cheat a little here... No X book to be found anywhere in my house!  But this one does look interesting.

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A to Z Challenge - W

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Gregory Maguire

 Offers us a radical new evaluation of one of the most feared and hated characters in all of literature: the much maligned Wicked Witch of the West who, as Maguire tells us, wasn't nearly as Wicked as we imagined.

(Amazon)

My best guess is that this book, and Gregory Maguire, came to my attention in connection with the musical, but honestly I don't remember. I bought this one at a book sale as well and despite the lack of singing and dancing, I hope to get to it soon.

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A to Z Challenge - V

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox

Maggie O'Farrell

Moving expertly among the voices of Iris, Kitty, and Esme herself, Maggie O'Farrell reveals the story of Esme's tragic and haunting absence.

(Amazon)

Not sure where I first heard of this one, but I have seen it on blogs randomly. Looks interesting.

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A to Z Challenge - U

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy 

Frances Mayes

A memoir of...buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in Tuscany.

(Amazon)

Another movie that snuck up on me and I loved. I absolutely adore Diane Lane and she was just so wonderful in this movie, I wouldn't, couldn't pass it up. Now I really, really have to read the book too!

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A to Z Challenge - T

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

The Time Traveler's Wife

Audrey Niffenegger

A dazzling novel in the most nontraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course... An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come. 

(Amazon)

I am typically a stickler for reading a book before seeing the movie. But this one snuck up on me, was given to me for free, and so I watched it...and loved it. But I am determined to get to the book and enjoy the story all over again.

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A to Z Challenge - S

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Lisa See

Lily is haunted by memories-of who she once was, and of a person, long gone, who defined her existence. She has nothing but time now, as she recounts the tale of Snow Flower, and asks the gods for forgiveness.

(Amazon)

Another book blog regular, I've had this one for a while. In fact, I'm not really sure how it came to me. But it's on the list of many, that is for sure!

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The Room - Karlsson

Title: The Room

Author: Jonas Karlsson

Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3/5- Good. Read it, have a good time and move on. Or not.

Book Source:  I received this book from the publisher, Random House free of cost, in exchange for an honest review.
 
Recommended if you like: Um...no clue, weird stuff, short books

 
What Its About:  
This Kafkaesque novella shares the story of Bjorn, a compulsive man who, after being asked to leave his previous job, is hired by the "Authority", a government agency of some sort. It doesn't take long for Bjorn to decide that his coworkers, including his supervisor, are not up to his level of skill and brilliance. When Bjorn finds an unused office, "The Room", near the bathrooms of his new company, he quickly finds himself drawn to the space. He feels more centered and in control in the meticulous space, where everything is just right.

Unfortunately, the room doesn't really exist and when Bjorn "spends time" in the room, his coworkers find him standing creepily silent and still in the hallway. This leads to unrest in the workplace, with Bjorn's coworkers trying to get him fired, for their safety sake. But Bjorn fights back, using the focus the room provides him to make himself valuable to his new company.

The Bottom Line: 
Ok, Bjorn is...well Sheldon Cooper. Do you watch The Big Bang Theory? Well Bjorn is the same socially inept, self-loving type of character. But Bjorn also seems to have a tenuous attachment to reality. 

This book was just...whatever. Not particularly entertaining, but not really bad either. Well written, though. Read it, or not. Whatever.

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A to Z Challenge - R

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

River, Cross My Heart

Breena Clarke

Highly accomplished novel resonates with ideas, impassioned lyricism, and poignant historical detail as it captures an essential part of the African-American experience in our century.

(Amazon)

This book has been sitting around my house for quite a long time, but I really am interested in reading it and therefore I won't get rid of it. Honestly, the Oprah thing is what caught my eye, at first. Now I am just really interested in the story.  Soon, very soon!

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A to Z Challenge - Q

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

The Queen of Katwe:

A Story of Life, Chess, and One Extraordinary Girl's Dream of Becoming a Grandmaster

Tim Crothers

Amazon has nothing to say about this book...

But I think the subtitle is pretty self explanatory. This book was sent to me without any request from me. Typically, I would not read such a book. But, it is a Q...and they are hard to come by. And, it actually sounds pretty interesting, so I kept it. I keep waiting for a year that I am close enough to finishing my Alphabet Challenge that its worth using this up!  Maybe this is the year?!?!

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Saturday Savings - 04/18/15

**DEAL OF THE WEEK**

Sale price = 3 for $2.00, $4.00 total cost

Stacked with 4 coupons for $1 off one

Total Paid = $0.00 

SIX FREE!!!

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A to Z Challenge - P

Books This Book Blogger Owns...and Will.Read.Soon!

Peaches

Jodi Lynn Anderson

During a summer at the Darlington Peach Orchard in Georgia, Murphy, Leeda, and Birdie discover the true meaning of friendship despite their differences. 

 (Amazon)

This was another library book sale find that I had not heard of before. It caught my eye. Its YA, but looks pretty interesting, so I brought it home.

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