Monday, March 28, 2016

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson. This memoir is one of the funniest books about the unfunny subject of mental illness I've ever read. Lawson is an absolute riot; she also gives great insight into life with a diagnosis of mental illness. If you've ever thought about going to Australia in a Koala suit, laminating your cats to keep them from shedding, strapping your taxidermy raccoons onto said cats and letting them ride around the house, or buying a taxidermy giraffe neck to place in your yard then this is the book for you. 

Ratings: Adult - 10 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).

The Virtuoso

The Virtuoso is by Thomas Shadwell. The classic Restoration comedy satirizing the proponents of New Science in the seventeenth century. Sir Nicholas is constantly conducting "important" scientific experiments. Two of his followers, Bruce and Longvil are really after his nieces. A wonderful example of the drama of the era.

Ratings: 12th grade - 9 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is by Aimee Bender. On her 9th birthday, Rose discovers she can "taste" people's emotions in the food they make. Through this gift she discovers her mother's depression. Her father is distant, and her brother is a strange genius loner, each with secrets of their own. This is a family in emotional disarray, yet Bender makes their disorders believable, funny, and poignant. An interesting concept for a novel, worth the read though the plot and characters could have been developed further.

Ratings: Adult - 6 out of 10 - MP (profanity) - AC (some mature thematic content).

Friday, March 18, 2016

The Dragon Heir

The Dragon Heir is by Cinda Williams Chima. The third book in The Heir Chronicles. Jason sneaks into Raven's Ghyll and discovers an unknown cache of magical objects. He takes as many as he can carry, including the powerful Dragon's Heart, but he doesn't get away clean. He carries the jewel back to Trinity and now Trinity is under siege. Now Jason must bring the Elicitor, Madison Moss, back to Trinity to uncover the secret of the stone which could save them, or destroy them all. Fans of this series will not be disappointed!

Ratings: 8th grade - 8 out of 10 - MP (mild profanity) - V (violence).

Sunday, March 6, 2016

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read. This is the classic true story of the Allied effort to save the world's art treasures and architecture from destruction during WWII. The small but gallant force of men and women who gave their all to save world culture for posterity is a story few know, but one that everyone should take the time to learn.

Ratings: 10th grade - 10 out of 10 - MP (mild profanity) - V (violence).