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    • My Favorite Post-Apocalyptic Reads

      Posted at 9:12 am by Mrs. Ram Jam, on March 14, 2020

      Are you stuck at home in an effort to flatten COVID-19’s curve?

      Do you need a break from Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus?

      If you’re anything like me and like to make some reading choices based on current events, then you might be desperate for a good post-apocalyptic read to further terrify yourself while you’re social distancing.

      Here are my favorites, ranked. There are zombies. Viruses. Technology plagues. Aliens. There’s a little bit of everything on this list. And some of them don’t quite fit the genre, but they’re close enough for me.

      1. The Stand by Stephen King. Five stars. One of my favorite books of all time.

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      2. The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Five stars. Chilling and haunting.

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      3. Bird Box by Josh Malerman. Four stars. The sequel comes out this year! Can’t wait.

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      4. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Four stars. A very funny end of the world read.

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      5. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Four stars. A traveling band of Shakespeare performers? Yes, please!

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      6. Followers by Megan Angelo. Four stars. Technology gone wrong. Timely. Also, this is totally a guilty pleasure read.

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      7. The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker. Four stars. I reviewed this book last month. Check it out here.

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      8. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Four stars. Classic!

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      9. The Passage by Justin Cronin. Three stars. I was totally into this book, but it is really long. Some of you might really enjoy this read though.

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      10. The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey. Three stars. I didn’t like Carey’s writing style, but this is a good zombie story.

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      (All cover art taken from Goodreads.)

      Any ones I missed that I need to add to my TBR?

      As always, any discussion is welcome!

      Posted in books, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged apocalypse, apocalyptic, apocalyptic books, bird box, blogging, blogs, book reviews, books, cormac mccarthy, emily st john mandel, fiction, followers, good omens, hg wells, josh malerman, justin cronin, karen thompson walker, megan angelo, mr carey, neil gaiman, post apocalypse, post apocalyptic, post apocalyptic books, reading, station eleven, stephen king, terry pratchett, the dreamers, the girl with all the gifts, the passage, the road, the stand, the war of the worlds
    • Mini Book Reviews February 2020

      Posted at 10:13 am by Mrs. Ram Jam, on February 29, 2020

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      Even though February is a short month, I crammed in thirteen books. While I’ve yet to read any books published in 2020 (due to my library not having any), I read some fantastic backlist books this month. Here are my mini book reviews.


      A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum–contemporary fiction–published 2019–three stars: This novel follows three Arab women from the same family but of different generations as they live in Brooklyn. I desperately want to love this book, but I teach middle schoolers who have better narrative techniques than I saw demonstrated here.

      a woman

      Refugee by Alan Gratz–middle-grade historical fiction–published 2017–four stars:  Three different children in three different parts of the world in three different time periods share their refugee experiences. The tales are grounded in real historical events, but the main characters, sensationalized and contrived, detract from the stories. This is still an excellent middle-grade read.

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      Fallen (Fallen #1) by Lauren Kate–YAL fantasy–published 2009–one star: Terrible. No redeeming qualities whatsoever. I can’t even try to summarize it for you because I don’t want to relive one word from it. Books like this give YAL a bad name.

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      Skyward (Skyward #1) by Brandon Sanderson–YAL sci-fi–published 2018–four stars:  Who wouldn’t want to read a sci-fi version of Top Gun but with a female protagonist, spaceships, and a mushroom-obsessed AI? It’s pretty funny in places, too. The writing isn’t out of this world, but the plot is a galaxy worth of fun.

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      A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer–YAL fantasy–published 2019–four stars:  If you need a modern-day retelling (which is normally not my Ram Jam) of Beauty and the Beast, stop what you are doing and pick up this book.

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      The Coddling of the American Mind:  How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff–nonfiction/current events–published 2018–four stars:  You’ve probably heard about this book (originally a shorter piece published in The Atlantic a few years ago) if you keep up with politics and current events. Lukianoff and Haidt discuss how the way we raise our children, the emphasis of feeling over logic, and shifting free speech norms on college campuses are stifling rhetoric in a place that’s supposed to value it. I don’t agree with everything they have to say (They come at this with a male perspective and are a bit insensitive about rape, rape culture, and feminism. They also minimize intersectionality and microaggressions.), but they make some interesting points. And isn’t the whole point of this book to be able to make an argument, back it up, and have conversations about it–like adults–whether you agree with them or not?

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      The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker–science fiction–published 2019–four stars:  Call The Mamas & the Papas because there is some “California Dreamin'” going on in this book. Seriously. A small California town gets inflicted with a viral sleeping disease and goes under quarantine. Or maybe I should sing  “wake up kids/ we’ve got the dreamer’s disease”? New Radicals anyone? Anyway, ’twas a good read for me.

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      Swear on This Life by Renee Carlino–romance–published 2016–two stars:  I thought to myself, it’s the day before Valentine’s Day. I should read a love story. So I did, and I wasn’t impressed. Emiline, a writer, reads a much-buzzed-about novel only to discover it’s her personal coming of age story told by the ex-love of her life. You get to read a mediocre novel within a very mediocre novel if you decide to read this book.

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      The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson–fantasy–published 2010–five stars:  All hail to the kings! I’m in love with this high fantasy tome; it clocks in around 1,000 pages. It’s got just enough magic, world-building, and storyline for fantasy lover perfection. The writing itself isn’t spectacular, but its other elements more than makeup for some narrative holes. For example, I had a hard time picturing how the bridge runners placed the bridges across the Shattered Plains’ plateaus. Also, Sanderson overuses the words “carapace” and “pupate.”

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      Deep Work:  Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport–productivity/nonfiction–published 2016–three stars:  I think I would have liked this read more if I hadn’t already read Newport’s Digital Minimalism. He argues that in order to get deep, meaningful work done, you need to go offline, be unreachable, and dedicate uninterrupted chunks of time. He criticizes open work areas (I wholeheartedly agree with this.), multi-tasking, email mindset, and several other habits that infiltrate the modern workday. I got aggravated with this book for three main reasons. 1. I will never get deep work done at work because of the way my public school day is structured. I further feel like students can’t get deep work done because of habitual classroom distractions.  2. Again, just like The Coddling of the American Mind, this is a very male-oriented book. He talks about how he was able to get all of this work done while he had a young child. Well, Cal, what was your wife doing? Was she getting any deep work done? In the book, there are several examples of successful men who get deep work done while the only female example that I can remember is J.K. Rowling. 3. This is a book of privilege. I’m sure there are plenty of non-middle and non-upper class workers out there busting their asses who would like to perform deep work but don’t have the time, money, or help to do so.

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      Teach Like a Pirate:  Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator by Dave Burgess–education/nonfiction–published 2012–three stars:  I already knew everything presented to me in this book, and the information is dated at this point. Burgess is inspiring though.

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      Starsight (Skyward #2) by Brandon Sanderson–YAL sci-fi–published 2019–three stars: Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll continue this series. The beginning is rushed and confusing. Lackluster writing permeates the pages. The cliffhanger doesn’t compel me to read on. Overall, this was a disappointment. Guess which words make several appearances again? (If you guessed “carapace” and “pupate,” then you are correct.)

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      The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next #1) by Jasper Fforde–fantasy–published 2003–three stars:  In this bizarro England, Thursday Next, a member of a special task force in charge of crimes against literature, seeks a villain who’s kidnapping major characters from literary masterpieces and finds herself read into Jane Eyre. At times, this novel can be hard to follow because if you’re not hardcore into British literature, allusions will go over your head.

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      Women Talking by Miriam Toews–contemporary fiction–published 2019–three stars:  For years in a Mennonite community, supposed demons raped women of all ages while they slept. When it’s discovered that a group of men are responsible for the violent crimes, the women must decide to stay or leave their settlement. (This is based on a true story.) I liked the way this was written, but I found it boring.

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      (All cover art taken from Goodreads.com) 


      As always, any discussion is welcome!

       

      Posted in books, Uncategorized, writing | 3 Comments | Tagged a curse so dark and lonely, a woman is no man, alan gratz, backlist books, blogging, blogs, book reviews, books, brandon sanderson, brigid kemmerer, cal newport, cursebreakers, dave burgess, deep work, etaf rum, fallen, fantasy, fantasy reads, fiction, greg lukianoff, historical fiction, jasper fforde, jonathan haidt, karen thompson walker, lauren kate, middle grade, mini book reviews, miriam toews, nonfiction, reading, refugee, renee carlino, sci fi, science fiction, skyward, starsight, swear on this life, teach like a pirate, the coddling of the american mind, the dreamers, the eyre affair, the stormlight archive, the way of kings, thursday next, women talking, writing, YAL
    • Mini Book Reviews January 2020

      Posted at 12:27 pm by Mrs. Ram Jam, on February 1, 2020

      Even though January lasts eons, I look forward to reading in January each year. In December, I peruse the best-of-the-year book lists that permeate book lovers’ blogs and throw their favorites on my January TBR. I end up reading a few fantastic books at the beginning of every year.


      Wilder Girls by Rory Power –YAL horror–published 2019–two stars:  Under quarantine because of a slow-moving, fatal disease called the “Tox,” an all-girls school battles with the fallout. Even though the premise is fresh, Power failed to create a single likable character. Because of plot holes, the characters starved for no plausible reason. However, the cover is badass. I still can’t stop looking at it.

      wilder girls

      Because Internet:  Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch–nonfiction–published 2019–five stars:  This. Book. Is. Fascinating. As a self-proclaimed word nerd who loves learning about etymology, I couldn’t put this book down. Who wouldn’t want to examine the history of how the internet has influenced the English language’s evolution? Who wouldn’t want to learn about text tone of voice, the history of emojis, and the Unicode Consortium? Plus, McCulloch’s comedic word-nerd voice radiates throughout. Take away? Stop judging informal writing as if it were formal. Texting and social media writing will never follow standard English.

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      The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw–YAL fantasy–published 2018–two stars:  Three sisters, killed for their supposed witchery 200 hundred years ago, come back every summer to haunt the seaside town responsible for their demises. They drown unsuspecting teenage boys to take their revenge. Disclaimer–the adult supervision in this town is nonexistent. The parents allow the teenagers to throw a massive beach party on the night of the witches’ reappearance even though there are drowning deaths every summer? Come. On. A girl goes missing during this time, and the teenagers hold her hostage. The adults neglect to search for the missing girl. Ugh. Now, I admit, I missed a plot twist, but I’ll blame that on the muscle relaxer I took the night I read the book.

      the wicked deep

      The Chain by Adrian McKinty–crime/thriller–published 2019–three stars:  A divorcée and breast cancer survivor named Rachel is finally getting her life back on track when two people kidnap her daughter Kylie from the school bus stop. This is no normal kidnapping. Rachel gets a phone call demanding ransom and that she must kidnap and hold another child hostage to get her own daughter released. The people who kidnapped her daughter received the same phone call and instructions, and this process goes back years like a chain letter. Forced into a terrible position, Rachel and her family face death if they break “the chain.” The plot is inconceivable. Have everyday Joes become mastermind kidnappers at the drop of hat and not get caught nor go to the police? No chance. I found parts of the prose contrived. For example towards the novel’s end, McKinty explains the metaphor of the chain. Mind blown emoji. Don’t explain the metaphor McKinty! You know better. I guess I’m just in desperate need of a good thriller because this genre consistently fails in impressing me.

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      Night (The Night Trilogy, #1) by Elie Wiesel–memoir–published 1956–five stars:  Considering my aversion to World War II historical fiction and nonfiction, it shouldn’t be surprising that I’ve eschewed reading this memoir for years. However, Wiesel’s austere prose gutted me.

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      Normal People by Sally Rooney–contemporary fiction–published 2019–four stars:  Connell and Marianne, high schoolers who come from different backgrounds, fall for each other, hiding their relationship from their friends and their families. Their toxic relationship follows them to college. I disliked Connell and Marianne but liked this novel.

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      The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow–YAL fantasy–published 2019–four stars:  January, raised by a rich armchair archeologist, pines for a grand adventure. One day she discovers a door, walks through it, and finds herself in another world. Her guardian then destroys the door. Once she discovers there are more doors leading to millions of other worlds, her hero’s journey begins. The magical, wistful, and carefully chosen words shine on the page, creating a glorious fairy tale.

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      Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah–contemporary fiction–published 2019–five stars: Trying to resume her ornithology research after a health setback,  Joanna rents a cabin in Southern Illinois to conduct her studies and to help her heal. One night, a little girl appears, and Joanna enlists her reclusive neighbor to help solve the mystery of the scared, intelligent girl. I. Could. Not. Put. This. Book. Down. If you enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing, you’ll love this book; it’s better than Crawdads. It has more humor and more heart while being less dense.

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      The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern–fantasy–published 2019–five stars:  I held off on picking up this book for two reasons. 1. It’s lengthy. 2. I reread Morgenstern’s Night Circus last year, and to my horror, couldn’t explain why I thought it phenomenal upon first reading. As a result, I thought this book would waste my time. A few book reviewers who I respect critically panned this book while others loud capped their approval. Morgenstern’s sophomore novel is more concrete, vivid, and literary than her first. Much like the above-reviewed The Ten Thousand Doors of January, the plot focuses on doors leading to other worlds and the doors’ widespread destruction.

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      Get a Life, Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters, #1) by Talia Hibbert–romance–published 2019–three stars:  The titular protagonist faces chronic pain, moving from her family home to prove her independence. As soon as she unpacks her flat, she gets the hots for her building’s super hot super. Against her better judgment, she asks him to help her cross off items from her “get a life” list. Chloe has fibromyalgia, the same disease I suffer from. Brown does a decent job describing its symptoms and the day-to-day difficulties those symptoms create, but that does not outweigh this romance novel’s mediocrity.

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      Do I Make Myself Clear? Why Writing Well Matters by Harold Evans–nonfiction–published 2017–three stars:  Believe me, Harold Evans, a well-respected British editor, would judge my writing. While I found a few of his insights valuable–particularly the importance of writing a clear sentence, he’s a self-described language purist and abhors English language evolution. Parts of this book are simply old-school grammar textbook lists of things like common word usage mistakes. He also t-charts poorly written passages of a wide variety of genres with his commentary of its weaknesses. These parts made me feel like I was trying to wade through terribly constructed student work, resulting in my head wanting to explode. Read a different book if you want writing tips.

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      The Cactus by Sarah Haywood–contemporary fiction–published 2018–three stars: Even though Reese Witherspoon is a national treasure, her book club picks are literary trash. I”ve yet to read one I’ve rated higher than a three. The Cactus is a lesser Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. The plot twist exposed itself within the books’ first quarter.

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      Ava and Pip (Ava and Pip #1) by Carol Weston–middle grade–published 2014–four stars:  Ava, a writing loving elementary schooler, tries to help her painfully shy older sister Pip find her voice. Little Thing and I enjoyed this read.

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      What did you read in January, friends?

      As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on these books if you’ve read them!

      (All cover art is taken from Goodreads.com)

       

      Posted in books, reading, Uncategorized, writing | 0 Comments | Tagged adrian mckinty, alix e harrow, ava and pip, because internet, blogging, blogs, book reviews, book reviews january, books, carol weston, do i make myself clear, elie wiesel, erin morgenstern, fiction, geta life chloe brown, glendy vanderah, gretchen mcculoch, harold evans, middle grade, mini book reviews, night, nonfiction, normal people, reading, rory power, sally rooney, sarah haywood, shea ernshaw, talia hibbert, the cactus, the chain, the starless sea, the ten thousand doors of january, the wicked deep, where the forest meets the stars, wilder girls, writing, YAL
    • Top Twenty Books 2019

      Posted at 2:15 pm by Mrs. Ram Jam, on January 2, 2020

      (featured photo credit)

      Sorry for my unannounced extended hiatus . . . but life happens (e.g. two teaching preps, new curriculum, remodeling the kitchen, traveling for the holidays, and obsessively listening to Taylor Swift’s Red and Lover albums whilst procrastinating). But I’M BAAAAACCCCKKKK on the 2020 blogging train with one of my favorite yearly posts–my favorite reads of 2019.

      And choosing my favorite reads this year proved more difficult than it was the previous year. I’m #sorrynotsorry for the lack of book reviews for my faves, but trying to decide which of the 153 books I read deserved to be ranked sucked my time for this post dry. Quite frankly, there are nearly 40 more books that I’d recommend; if you want to see a full list of my 2019 reads and how I rated them, check out my 2019 book challenge on Goodreads.

      Anyway, drumroll please . . . here are my favorite books read in 2019:

      1. Not That Bad:  Dispatches from Rape Culture edited by Roxane Gay–nonfiction essays–five stars–published 2018not that bad
      2. Recursion by Black Crouch–science fiction–five stars–published 2019recursion
      3. Arc of a Scythe series (Scythe, Thunderhead, and The Toll) by Neal Shusterman–dystopian YAL–five stars–published 2016-2019scythe
      4. A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza–contemporary fiction–five stars–published 2019a place for us
      5. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid–historical/contemporary fiction–five stars–published 2019reid_9781524798628_jkt_all_r1.indd
      6. Dopesick:  Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy–political nonfiction–five stars–published 2018dopesick
      7. The New Jim Crow:  Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander–political nonfiction–five stars–published 2010the new jim crow
      8. The Library Book by Susan Orlean–historical nonfiction–five stars–published 2018the library book
      9. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill–middle grade fantasy–five stars–published 2016the girl who drank the moon
      10. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate–middle grade–five stars–published 2012the one and only ivan
      11. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman–chick lit/books about books–five stars–published 2019the bookish life
      12. Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai–middle grade poetry/historical fiction–five stars–published 2011inside out
      13. The Common Good by Robert B. Reich–political nonfiction–five stars–published 2018the common good
      14. The Trouble with Poetry – And Other Poems by Billy Collins–poetry–five stars–published 2007the trouble with poetry
      15. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid–historical/contemporary fiction–four stars–published 2017the seven husbands
      16. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone:  A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb–autobiographical nonfiction–four stars–published 2019maybe you should talk to someone
      17. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong–fiction/poetry–four stars–published 2019on earth we're briefly gorgeous
      18. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane–contemporary fiction–four stars–published 2019ask again yes
      19. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead–historical fiction–four stars–published 2019the nickel boys
      20. Bad Blood:  Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou–business nonfiction–four stars–published 2018bad blood

      There you have it! I’ll be back next week with my New Year’s resolutions post.

      (All book art taken from Goodreads.com)

       

      Posted in books, reading, Uncategorized, writing | 4 Comments | Tagged blogging, blogs, book reviews, books, books in 2019, read, reading, top twenty, top twenty books, writing, yoga
    • September 2019 Mini Book Reviews

      Posted at 7:41 pm by Mrs. Ram Jam, on October 4, 2019

       

      1. Waiting for Tom Hanks (Waiting for Tom Hanks, #1) by Kerry Winfrey–romance/chick lit–three stars–Speaking of waiting, I waited for this digital borrow for weeks before laying my hands on it. Annie, a wannabe screenwriter obsessed with Tom Hanks rom-coms, lands a gig as a director’s assistant when a, insert loud gasp here, romantic comedy starts shooting in her small Ohio town. In a glaringly obvious plot twist, she falls hard for the who-she-perceives-to-be-playboy-jackass lead. It’s a decent read, but you’d be better off snuggling up to a Nora Ephron book or movie instead.tom hanks
      2. The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman–middle grade/fantasy–three stars–If I remember correctly, I attempted reading this book years ago but had a hard time getting started and gave up on it. I sludged through this time, but dammmmnnnnnnnn. I know this is an unpopular opinion because nostalgia and shit; however, the beginning is  hard to sift through and much better middle grade fantasy literature has been written since this book first came out.golden compass
      3. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead–historical fiction–four stars–Not as fantastic as Whitehead’s Pulitzer winning The Underground Railroad, but it’s still a great read about a real-life inspired reform school in Jim Crow Florida.nickel boys
      4. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan–historical fiction–four starswashington black
      5. Meet Cute by Helena Hunting–romance/chick lit–three stars–Read Waiting for Tom Hanks instead. Also, I hate the term “meet cute.” Ugh. Can we just strike it from chick lit vernacular?meet cute
      6. The City of Ember (Book of Ember, #1) by Jeanne DuPrau–middle grade/dystopian–four starscity of ember
      7. Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1) by Kristin Cashore–YAL/fantasy–two stars– Who needs this series when Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series exists? Nobody. graceling
      8. After (After, #1) by Anna Todd–romance–two stars–I first heard about this book while watching a segment on the Today show about Wattpad, an online platform where self-publishing writers can get real-time feedback from fellow users about what they’re writing. After is a Wattpad sensation, and I had to see what all the fuss was about. While it was compulsively readable, it also managed to hit every romance novel cliche on the head. A poor, academically-gifted freshman in college falls in love with a tatted-up bad boy with a serious jealously problem who screws her over countless times.  Apparently, Wattpad users like verbal abuse because this book is rife with it and made me really uncomfortable, but it didn’t negate the fact that it was compulsively readable.after
      9. Her Royal Highness (Royals, #2) by Rachel Hawkins–YAL–two stars–A disappointment after the first book in the series.her royal highness
      10. The Perfect Nanny by Leila Simani–thriller–four stars—Because we know it’s a thriller, we know the nanny is the antithesis of a perfect one, but while the title and its cover is predictable for the genre, the storyline is anything but. This translated from French novel is succinct and haunting, hitting all the right thriller buttons. the perfect nanny
      Posted in books, reading, Uncategorized, writing | 1 Comment | Tagged blogging, blogs, book reviews, books, read, reading, writing
    • Mini Book Reviews for August 2019

      Posted at 2:28 pm by Mrs. Ram Jam, on September 7, 2019

      Because August means back to school for me, it’s always a hard reading month, so I declared it read nothing of substance, the more royals in books the better, and bonus points if books are set in Europe month.

      • Ghost Kisses by Kellie Babineaux–paranormal romance–two stars–This is my coworker’s second self-published novel. Despite some major editing issues, the storyline is compelling, and Babineaux’s love of New Orleans and Louisiana culture take on a life of their own.

      ghost kisses

      • The Little Book of Hygge:  The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking–nonfiction–two stars–My biggest takeaways are candles, Christmas, and lamps make for a happy life.

      the little book of hygge

      • 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne–romance–two stars–I couldn’t remember the premise of this book while typing in its name nor while reading its synopsis. I only picked it up because I loved Thorne’s The Hating Game.

      99 percent mine

      • The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan–chick lit/romance–three stars–I made the mistake of recommending this book to a couple of people before finishing it. It’s loosely based on Prince William and Kate’s love story, but it takes a ludicrous turn towards the end, detracting from how promising it was at the beginning.

      the royal we

      • The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory–chick lit/romance–two stars–Terrible but readable.

      the royal runaway

      • The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill–middle grade fantasy–five stars–Everything I’ve ever wanted in a middle grade fantasy read. Witches? Check. A tiny dragon who thinks he’s gigantic? Check. A Swamp Monster? Check. A young girl who doesn’t know how to control her magic? Check. Stunning language and message? Check.

      the girl who drank the moon

      • My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan–contemporary fiction/romance–two stars–Ella, an educational policy political advisor, receives a Rhodes Scholarship and falls in love with her professor during her time in Oxford. I liked Ella’s eclectic friend group more than her.

      my oxford year

      • How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper–contemporary fiction–four stars–Funny and touching while being mildly dark.

      how not to die alone

      • Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes–contemporary fiction–four stars–Evvie’s husband died on the day she was going to leave him. Still grappling with guilt a year later, she takes on a tenant, a former MLB pitcher who suddenly started throwing wild pitches instead of strikes, to get a little extra money. The dialogue is funny and well-done.

      evvie drake

      • Royals (Royals, #1) by Rachel Hawkins–YAL–four stars–READ THIS INSTEAD OF THE ROYAL WE.

      royals

      • The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman–contemporary fiction/chick lit–five stars–This is by far the best book set in a bookshop that I’ve read all year.

      bookish life

      • Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim–magical realism–3 stars–When Natalie’s agoraphobic mother dies suddenly in San Francisco, Natalie comes home and discovers that Chinatown has changed. With the intent of reopening her grandmother’s restaurant, Natalie tries to breathe life back into the dying community by cooking magical meals for her neighbors.

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      As always discussion is welcome, and I’m always looking for recommendations.

      All cover jacket art courtesy of Goodreads. 

      Posted in books, reading, Uncategorized, writing | 2 Comments | Tagged 99 percent mine, abbi waxman, blogging, blogs, book reviews, books, evvie drake starts over, ghost kisses, heather cocks and jessica morgan, how not to die alone, julia whelan, kellie babineaux, kelly barnhill, linda holmes, lindsay emory, meik wiking, my oxford year, natalie tan's book of luck & fortune, rachel hawkins, read, reading, richard roper, roselle lim, royals, sally thorne, the bookish life of nina hill, the girl who drank the moon, the little book of hygge, the royal runaway, the royal we, writing
    • Mini Book Reviews for July 2019

      Posted at 1:41 pm by Mrs. Ram Jam, on August 10, 2019

       

      the girl he used to know
      next year in havana
      not that bad
      the night circus
      educated
      there there
      poison study
      the flight attendant
      the rise and fall of the dinos
      the power

      (All book jacket art is taken from Goodreads.)

      I’m a week late with my mini book reviews for July because Little Thing’s rhyming gone wrong debacle needed internet publishing ASAP. And since I NEVER have anything written before my self imposed weekly Saturday deadline (and this week coincides with my first week back to school), these mini-reviews might be semi-coherent. My priorities were elsewhere this week, like getting to know the kids I’m in charge of for the whole year and fighting off back-to-school-teacher-tired exhaustion. 


      • The Power by Naomi Alderman–4 stars–dystopian/science fiction–Alderman attempts to be sci-fi Atwood, but it’s no The Handmaid’s Tale.
      • The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs:  A New History of a Lost World by Steve Brusatte–4 stars–historical nonfiction–I feel like every adult should read a book about dinosaurs occasionally. The biggest downfall of this book is the copious amount of paleontological name dropping the author harps on. We get it Brusatte. You know and have worked with the experts in your field. Matt Foley said it best, “Well la dee fricken da!” la de frickin(gif credit)
      • Poison Study (Study, #1) by Maria V. Snyder–4 stars–YAL/fantasy–Y’ALL. Except for being mildly predictable (but isn’t all YAL genre fiction?), this read rocked. Yelena, a prisoner awaiting her death, gets granted a stay of execution by becoming the king’s food taster.
      • The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian–4 stars–thriller–Finally, a thriller that I didn’t rank a two or three, even though there’s the whole female alcoholic narrator trope going on here. To nobody’s surprise, she gets sober at the end.
      • Magic Study (Study, #2) by Maria V. Snyder–4 stars–YAL/fantasy
      • Fire Study (Study, #3) by Maria V. Snyder–4 stars–YAL/fantasy–Despite me loving this series, I’m stopping here for the indefinite future. After this book, the POV switches to different main characters and the reading order gets massively confusing.
      • There There by Tommy Orange–4 stars–contemporary fiction–Wow. There There narrates the tale of multiple, interconnected Native American characters leading up to and during a powwow in Oakland. Orange’s writing style is unlike any I’ve ever seen, repeating words in subsequent sentences for impact and with stunning, heartbreaking sentences.
      • Educated by Tara Westover–4 stars–nonfiction/memoir–Westover delineates her ascent through the upper echelons of prestigious academia despite no formal education and having a hostile living environment before entering Brigham Young University. While I did compulsively read this memoir, I had a hard time rectifying some parts of the story. Westover does an impeccable job of pointing out where her narrative differs from those of her family members or other people who were present during particular events and even points out that her journals were often written with what she wanted to belive instead of what happened, so I have a hard time accepting all of this book as true. I’m jaded when it comes to reading memoirs anymore because there’s no true way to tell a tale from the past.
      • Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict–2 stars–historical fiction–Fresh off the boat from Ireland, Clara Kelly falsely impersonates a dead person, becoming a lady’s maid for Andrew Carnegie’s mother. I felt like I was being talked down to this entire book. Benedict frequently stopped and defined words, like lady’s maid jargon, that I could have figured out from context. I’m not an idiot, and most readers aren’t either.
      • The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson–4 stars–contemporary fiction–What reader doesn’t love books that take place in bookshops?
      • The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides–3 stars–thriller–Not terrible. Spoiler alert–there’s a silent patient.
      • The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern–reread–3 stars–fantasy–I DID A HORRIBLE THING AND RE-READ ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS. AND GUESS WHAT–IT’S NOT NEARLY AS FANTASTIC AS I REMEMBER IT. Vague description plagues the plot, featuring an anticlimactic, skimmed over resolution. Why did I ruin a good thing? However, Morgenstern will be releasing a new novel towards year’s end that I’m intrigued by.
      • Not That Bad:  Dispatches from Rape Culture edited by Roxanne Gay–5 stars–nonfiction/essays–STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND READ THIS BOOK. It’s raw, ugly, heartbreaking, enlightening. It will gut you.
      • Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton–2 stars–historical fiction/contemporary fiction–I officially declare historical fiction not my jam. Marisol, a Cuban American reporter, travels to Cuba for the first time to distribute her Grandma Elisa’s ashes. During her visit, she uncovers her grandmother’s secret past. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. You get the alternating story of Marisol and Elisa, and both stories are too similar–both characters fall in love with revolutionaries and then have to flee Cuba with their lives. I hate books that are too tied together like this. The dialogue was unrealistic; Marisol’s love interest basically gives all of Cuba’s history in long drawn out lectures every time he opens his mouth.
      • The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves–1 star–contemporary fiction–I thought I was going to adore this book. Part of it takes place at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Mrs. Ram Jam’s Alma Mater (Hail to the Orange/Hail to the Blue/ Hail Alma Mater). The main characters even stop at Kam’s, a notorious campus bar that Mrs. Ram Jam frequented, on their first date. Then for another bizarro world coincidence, the other part (tenish years in the future from the first part) takes place during and after September 11, 2001–  when Mrs. Ram Jam (I’ll stop referring to myself in the third person now.) was a freshman at the U of I and watched the collapse of the second Twin Tower on the Today show when she should have been studying for her first Russian 101 exam. However, I feel like the male love interest in the book who was supposed to be Annika, an autistic woman’s knight in shining armor fetishized her and treated her like she was a child. It left me with a terrible case of the icks, chaulked up to poor writing.
      • Maybe You Should Talk to Someone:  A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb–four stars–nonfiction/memoir–Gottlieb can write. The title explains the basic premise of the book. And like Westover’s Educated, Gottlieb makes it clear that she is an unreliable narrator, too. Maybe I should talk to someone about how much of a skeptical reader I’ve become. The book’s jacket features a tissue box, and you better have one right next to you while you read. I sobbed. Don’t read the end of this book in public.

        Anybody have any fun, mindless reads? My August reading is going to be devoted to them. Nothing heavy for this already exhausted teacher.

      Posted in books, reading, Uncategorized, writing | 2 Comments | Tagged blogging, blogs, book reviews, books, carnegie's maid, educated, maybe you should talk to someone, next year in havana, not that bad, poison study, read, reading, the bookshop of yesterdays, the flight attendant, the girl he used to know, the night circus, the power, the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, there there, writing
    • Mini Book Reviews for June 2019

      Posted at 9:32 pm by Mrs. Ram Jam, on July 6, 2019

      throne of glass
      the thirteenth tale
      finale
      the lost man
      factfulness
      I had high expectations for my June reading month. Read more nonfiction! Read less fantasy! Read less YAL! Read sixteen-twenty books!

      Then I made a rookie mistake–I fell down a Sarah J. Maas hole named the Throne of Glass series–shattering my June reading hopes and dreams because the books are fiction, fantasy, YAL, and tomes.

      If you’ve ever found yourself at the bottom of a Maas rabbit hole, please please please tell me how you extracted yourself from it. When I realized the depth of my addiction, I resorted to alternating one of the books from the series with an adult, non-fantasy venture in a bizarre attempt at self-preservation, quitting after book four cold turkey.

      Here’s what I read in June:

      1. The Other Woman by Sandie Jones–3 stars–mystery/thriller–I keep reading this genre despite my low expectations. Emily meets Adam. He’s a catch but a total mommy’s boy. I saw the ending coming from about halfway through the book. the other woman
      2. The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain, #1) by Lloyd Alexander–4 stars–middle grade/fantasy–Not my favorite fantasy read, but I see why it would appeal to middle grade readers. It’s no Narnia; the world building is blasé. However, it does feature a sassy, soothsaying pig, a welcome addition to ANY novel if you ask me. the book of three
      3. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas–4 stars–YAL/fantasy–Ahhhhh. Welcome to my demise’s advent. Celaena Sardothien, an former assassin and current slave, gets offered her freedom in exchange for becoming her mortal enemy’s champion in a world where magic is banned. I like this series more than Maas’s A Court of Thorn and Roses series.  throne of glass
      4. The Au Pair by Emma Rous–3 stars–mystery/thriller–Mehhhhhhhhh. Of course there’s au pair drama. Cliché cheating with the nanny and unrealistic falling action drag this book down. the au pair
      5. Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J. Maas–4 stars–YAL/fantasy–Just as entertaining as book one.
      6. One Day in December by Josie Silver–3 stars–contemporary fiction/romance– I found this Reese Witherspoon pick frustrating; the self-absorbed characters grated my nerves.  one day in december
      7. Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas–4 stars–YAL/fantasy–Book 3 isn’t nearly as good as the first two. Too many Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings/Twilight parallels for it to be original. My least favorite word in all of YAL (“chuckle”) made hefty appearances, too. Insert eye roll here.
      8. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield–4 stars–contemporary fiction–This novel has been on my TBR for awhile. It’s eerie and keenly written, a mashup of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Jane Eyre. the thirteenth tale
      9. Finale (Caraval, #3) by Stephanie Garber–4 stars–YAL/fantasy–If you love YAL and fantasy and haven’t picked up the Caraval series yet, you should. The trilogy finished too neatly and lovey dovie, but overall, I’ll remember Garber’s Caraval, a teenage version of The Night Circus, fondly. finale
      10. My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing–3 stars–mystery/thriller–A married couple tackles serial killing together. Take a look at this book jacket. Little Thing gave me major side eye the whole time I was reading this book. My Lovely Wife
      11. Dopesick:  Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy–5 stars–nonfiction prose–Read this book. It will change the way you view drug addiction and treatment. dopesick
      12. Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass, #4) by Sarah J. Maas–4 stars–YAL/fantasy–I’m a fan of this series–I swear–but these books keep getting longer as the series progresses (This one clocked in at 648 pages.) and are wordy, wordy, wordy. To reach my read-150-books-in-2019 goal, I’m taking a Throne of Glass hiatus because there are three more books in this series, the last one housing nearly 1,000 pages. I wish Maas would consider writing trilogies.
      13. The Lost Man by Jane Harper–4 stars–mystery/thriller–I heart Jane Harper’s Australian outback mystery novels so hard. the lost man
      14. Factfullness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World–and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund–4 stars–nonfiction prose–Approach this nonfiction read with an open mind and consider that the data collection method is mildly flawed. The authors present an interesting argument that the world is “better but still bad,” iterating the mass gains that civilization has made over the years through examining our outdated knowledge of the world.  factfulness

      Bright side: at least I managed two nonfiction reads?

      (All cover art taken from Goodreads.com)

       

       

      Posted in books, reading, Uncategorized, writing | 3 Comments | Tagged blogging, blogs, book reviews, books, caraval, dopesick, factfullness, finale, jane harper, read, reading, sarah j. maas, the lost man, the thirteenth tale, throne of glass, writing
    • Mini Book Reviews for March, April, and May

      Posted at 11:28 pm by Mrs. Ram Jam, on May 31, 2019

      the ocean at the end of the lane
      reid_9781524798628_jkt_all_r1.indd
      mr penumbra
      thunderhead
      End of my thirteenth year of teaching? Check. (P.S. How the hell did that happen?)
      End of musical theater and soccer season for Little Thing? Check.
      End of physical therapy? Check.
      End of the house being on the market? No check. But we’re hopeful.
      End of Mrs. Ram’s Jams’s blog pause? CHECK!

      Here’s what I’ve read during my absence. Since nada writing happened during my break, these reviews are bare bones (and I skipped reviewing a few *wink wink*). After all, I crammed in 39 books in March, April, and May. The ones I highly recommend are in bold with their book jackets (All book jacket art is taken from Goodreads.).

      March

      • Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2) by Neal Shusterman, YAL/science fiction, five stars:  This series has yet to disappoint me. I can’t wait until book three comes out in September.thunderhead
      • The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo, romance/contemporary fiction, three stars:  I hate it when book reviews/blubs tell you that a book is like another book when it completely gives away the story’s ending. That happened to me with this one, and I might have enjoyed this read a bit more if it hadn’t been totally predictable.
      • The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S.A. Chakraborty, YAL/fantasy, three stars:  It drew me in but couldn’t hold my attention. It felt breathy. What happened to conciseness as opposed to needlessly drawn out pages?
      • The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient #1) by Helen Hoang, romance/contemporary fiction, three stars:  I liked this a lot better than The Light We Lost, but this one was way more what I consider to be true romance/erotica. However, it was not anywhere as close to good as The Hating Game.
      • The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) by N.K. Jemisin, fantasy, four stars:  Okay, I get it. One of the characteristics of fantasy is a long story, but damnnnnnnnn. I lose interest in a book around the 400 page mark if it’s not phenomenally written. However, this was still a good read.the fifth season
      • An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena, mystery, one star: I don’t think I’ve ever ranked a book with one measly star. This was awful. Lapena tried to emulate Agatha Christy, and it came off like a poorly written book version of the game Clue.
      • Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman, thriller/mystery, three stars: Please someone recommend a more than decent thriller/mystery for me. This genre hasn’t been doing it for me lately.
      • An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, thriller, three stars: Read The Wife Between Us instead; it was a much better collaboration than this one they put out.
      • The Library Book by Susan Orlean, nonfiction, five stars:  One of the coolest things I’ve ever read. It’s the story of a Los Angeles library fire, a love letter to books, and an homage to libraries.the library book

      April

      • The Passage (The Passage #1) by Justin Cronin, horror/apocalyptic, three stars:  At first, I was captivated by this vampire apocalypse story, but it’s gargantuan without needing to be. I will not be picking up book 2.
      • The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black, YAL/fantasy, four stars:  A YAL faerie and mortal love story done right. Book 3 is out in November.the wicked king
      • The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan, middle grade/fantasy, three stars: I didn’t see what all the hype was about.
      • More Than Words by Jill Santopolo, romance/contemporary fiction, four stars:  So much better than The Light We Lost.more than words
      • Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams, contemporary fiction, four stars:  I love me a good Brit lit read. This was Jojo Moyes-esque but with a narrator who makes terrible decisions.queenie
      • The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson, fantasy, four stars:  Read this instead of City of Brass. the bird king 1
      • On the Come Up by Angie Thomas, YAL/contemporary, four stars:  Not as good as The Hate U Give. The dialogue and the narration cheese so hard, but ‘tis to be expected with YAL.on the come up
      • Maid:  Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land, memoir, four stars:  The title explains it all.maid hard work 1
      • The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray, contemporary fiction, three stars:  Boring, but nicely penned.
      • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, contemporary fiction, four stars:  Where has Taylor Jenkins Reid been all my life? A fledgling magazine writer gets the chance of a lifetime to interview an old school movie star, Evelyn Hugo, and gets the juicy scoop on each of her husbands.the seven husbands
      • Coraline by Neil Gaiman, middle grade/horror, four stars:  I’m trying to tackle the entire Gaiman cannon, and while I thoroughly enjoyed this middle grade read, I liked The Graveyard Book more. The characters in Coraline looked blurry and read blurry, and that’s probably Gaiman’s point, but The Graveyard Book felt more concrete.coraline
      • Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore (Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore #1) by Robin Sloan, contemporary fiction, five stars: I honestly don’t think this book will be everyone’s cup of tea, but I adored the blend of humor, intrigue, and nerdiness.mr penumbra
      • The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings #1) by Mackenzi Lee, YAL/historical fiction, four stars:  A swashbuckling adventure that I didn’t know I was missing.the gentlemen's guide
      • American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson, contemporary fiction, four stars: A solid, albeit, slow paced, spy story.american spy
      • Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman, chick lit/contemporary fiction, two stars:  Bleck. Bleck. Bleck. Good riddance Good Riddance.
      • The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy #3) by Katherine Arden, fantasy, four stars:  So, I adored this entire series. It’s Russian folklore meets history clashing with Christianity. The first two books were lyrical and magical, and this last one had a very satisfying ending but lost its poetical syntax.the winter of the witch
      • A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, classics/plays, four stars:  I love teaching this play to 8th graders. A love triangle, plays within plays, and fairies. What’s not to love?a midsummer night's dream

      May

      • The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick, contemporary fiction, two stars:
      • The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin, contemporary fiction, four stars:the last romantics
      • His Majesty’s Dragon (Temeraire #1) by Naomi Novik, fantasy, three stars:  Can anyone recommend a good dragon story? I thought for sure Novik wouldn’t disappoint, but this wasn’t nearly as compelling as Uprooted.
      • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, classics/plays, four stars:  I hate teaching Romeo and Juliet. I know it’s poetry, but I can’t stand Benvolio. Everytime he gets on stage he repeats EVERYTHING that has just transpired.romeo and juliet
      • What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, YAL/contemporary fiction, four stars:what if it's us
      • Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan, chick lit/contemporary fiction, two stars:  This was supposed to be funny, but it missed its mark. The humor relied on overplayed mommy situations instead of wit. Read How to Party with an Infant instead.
      • Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, historical-ish fiction, five stars:  A sixties rock band story told in an interview format. It has an Almost Famous vibe.reid_9781524798628_jkt_all_r1.indd
      • The Witch’s Daughter (The Witch’s Daughter #1) by Paula Brackston, fantasy/historical fiction, four stars:the witch's daughter
      • How to Party with an Infant by Kaui Hart Hemmings, chick lit/contemporary fiction, four stars:  Hilarious, but the narration could use a little tweaking for cleanliness.how to party with an infant
      • Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal, contemporary fiction, four stars:kitchens of the great midwest
      • The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen, magical realism, three stars:
      • Year One (Chronicles of The One #1) by Nora Roberts, fantasy/apocalyptic, two stars:  My first venture into Nora Roberts’s prolific writings crashed and burned. You’ve got your standard apocalypse scenario: a virus knocks out most of the world’s population. Then you throw in fairies, witches, elves, etc. and the worst written dialogue I’ve ever seen on a page (and it’s dialogue heavy y’all) to ultimately reveal a good vs. evil/the chosen one archetype. The ONLY reason I didn’t rate this book as one star is because it was TERRIBLY readable (emphasis on the terribly). I kind of hate myself for even finishing this book and ranking it this highly.
      • The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, fantasy/horror, four stars:  Normally I staunchly eschew from assigning ½ ratings to books, but this book is more deserving of 4 ½ stars. I would have rated it five, but it’s a loosely adult parallel of Coraline. Gaiman’s ability to weave a fantasy, make it seem so real, and write subtle truths into his fiction makes him one of my favorite authors.the ocean at the end of the lane

      And as always, any and all discussion about these books is welcome. I’ve missed y’all.

      Posted in books, reading, Uncategorized, writing | 7 Comments | Tagged angie thomas, blogging, blogs, book reviews, books, candice carty-wlliams, coraline, daisy jones & the six, holly black, how to party with an infant, jill santopolo, katherine arden, kitchens of the great midwest, lauren wilkinson, mackenzi lee, maid, mr. penumbra's 24 hour bookstore, naomi novik, neal shusterman, neil gaiman, queenie, read, reading, robin sloan, tara conklin, taylor jenkins reid, the ocean at the end of the lane, the witch's daughter, thunderhead, what if it's us, writing
    • A Poem: Collecting Dust in the Dungeon

      Posted at 5:34 pm by Mrs. Ram Jam, on March 23, 2019

      I am a day late using this word prompt! My bad! Please forgive me daily word prompt aficionados! Also, it’s a bit of a mess. Like me.


      a dungeon of

      Birds Killed and Mocked and Thorns

      Letters Scarlett O’Hara-ed in the Wind

      Gatsby’s Expectations unGrateful

      Naked Juliets and suicidal Romeos

      Mice, Lennie, and George Orwell

      451 flames flickering like 5 Slaughterhouses ignited

      Purple Arms will never Color Farewell in a Dark Tower

      because they’re collecting dust in the dungeon

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Posted in books, poems, poetry, reading, Uncategorized, writing | 0 Comments | Tagged blogging, blogs, books, dungeon, poems, poetry, reading, writing
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