November Book Reviews 2021
By Jessica Marie The Socrates Express by Eric Weiner 5/5 Stars I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have not spent much time studying philosophy, but this book was a fantastic introduction to it. Many a time did I pause and laugh or think as I enjoyed how well written this book was. He puts things in such a unique light that ranges from the hilarious to the thoughtful. I enjoyed every page and every philosopher in it. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an introduction to philosophy or simply for a good non-fiction read. Devolution by Max Brooks 5/5 Stars I haven’t listened to audiobooks in quite a few years, possibly more than five years ago. In the past I would listen to music and podcasts, in the last 2-3 years I listened almost exclusively to podcasts. But I’ve grown tired of it and decided there were books I would like to have read but I may not really want to spend the time physically reading them. My friend told me about Libby a few weeks ago and I have been hooked ever since. Free audiobooks downloaded to my phone via my library card! Sign me up! One of the books I listened to on tape many years ago was World War Z and I remember loving World War Z in audio book form. When I saw this available as an audiobook I immediately clicked "borrow" from Libby. I was not disappointed! I love the full cast reading of the book and I love the realistic nature of his books. Where you can almost be convinced it's a documentary and not a novel. Where There’s Smoke by Jodi Picoult 4/5 Stars This was another audiobook that I listened to in November. This was actually a compilation of two short stories. I’ll be honest, I'm not entirely sure I like Jodi's method of writing. She goes backwards and forwards through time every other chapter. The back cover descriptions sometimes sound more supernatural but somehow the story is always very realistic, as in real world. I generally prefer my fiction stories to be something a little more fantastical unless they are touching on some interesting topic. This is the second work of hers I've read. It's a good set of short stories. She is a good writer, she tells a story well, and the careers and knowledge of the characters she writes are well researched and feel real. It is nothing more than personal preference is why I am not a huge fan. I'd give these two stories 3.5 stars but I’m rounding up to 4. Who Am I? By Kurt Rieschick 4/5 Stars My Mom and I went to the 10 cent book sale that was hosted by our local library. She picked this one up just for fun. While she cooked dinner we all sat around the kitchen and I read the book out loud as we all tried to guess the answers to the questions. If you happen to know famous people from 1999 and before, then you’re going to rock this book. It was a fun evening! Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld 3/5 Stars This is an alternative history book in which Hillary Rodham never married Bill Clinton. The author then proceeds to see how Hillary’s life as well as the American political sphere may have been impacted by this change of events. This was another audiobook I checked out from Libby. I thought this was an interesting book. I found it fascinating Hilary and Bill go from lovers to rivals to enemies. There were some fun twists in the book. Though it was really strange to have sex scenes. These are public figures, not fictional characters, so the visuals are more than a bit strange. But overall, an interesting thought experiment. I would round up to 3.5 stars but Goodreads doesn’t let you, so 3 it is. On Wings of Ash and Dust series by Brittany Wang 5/5 Stars Wings of Betrayal, Palace of Potions, and Sea of Secrets are the three books in her series of six I finished in the month of November. I am going to hold off on giving a full book review on these until I finish the entire series. It is a fantasy series that takes place in a world where faeries rule and they are currently fighting for the crown to rule all of Faylan. There is a competition between all of the princes and princesses in each of the six kingdoms to compete against each other to win the crown for their kingdom, their family, and themselves forever. I was a little skeptical or rather trepidatious as I always am when starting a book from a new author. Especially one about faeries as it can be cliched or otherwise. But this series caught me from the start! I was and continue to be interested in the characters, the world, and the outcome. I am still really on my toes about what is going to happen as a lot is starting to pile up. If you are looking for a great new fantasy series (each book is around 100 pages long) I would suggest this one! Currently Reading: Forest of Blood by Brittany Wang The End of America by Naomi Wolf The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien Podcasts I'm Currently Listening to: Breaking Points Wise Traditions
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AuthorJessica Marie Cunningham - Intentional lifestyle blogger, aspiring author, and podcast host. All things Slow Living, Books, Writing, Art, creativity, Christianity, and personal stories. Archives
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