Review: The Rosie Project

Pin It

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I was extremely disappointed by The Rosie Project. At the time I began reading it, its Goodreads rating was a 4.15 out of 5 which is pretty dang high. Many books of much higher quality are getting ratings much much lower. Now to be completely honest, this is more of a chick-lit type of novel, which I tend to avoid. It's a love story about a guy who thinks he can find a perfectly compatible wife by scientific means alone and all the while, without realizing it, he falls for a girl named Rosie who fits none of his criteria (this isn't a spoiler - you can pretty much figure it out by reading the book jacket).

The book is written as a comedy, which I think is its first great fault. I can think of only 1 or 2 comedy books that were successful in being a good story as well as being a comedy. I don't think there was a single time that I laughed out loud while reading this novel. Sure, some things were smirk-inducing but it kind of took away from what could have been a great story. I'll echo what other reviewers have said by pointing out that this could have been a much better novel if it were written as a drama rather than a comedy.

There were also some things that I found myself really picking apart such as the fact that this alleged genius had such a poorly-crafted scientific method in the Rosie Project that it took away a lot of the credibility for me. Also, some of the events in the story were just so over-the-top that I wanted to tear the pages out.

In the end the book was simply okay. It was mildly entertaining and readable and will likely get picked up as a romantic comedy in a big-budget movie. And quite honestly, that's where it would be better. It might even be funny as a movie. It just wasn't as a book.



View all my reviews

Review: My Story

Pin It

My Story by Elizabeth Smart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



When I began this book I set myself up for disappointment. I didn't expect to get a real, honest account of the story of Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping. And for the first few chapters I found myself being proven right. The storytelling felt artificial and contrived rather than an honest, heartfelt account of the events. I decided to stick with it only because I remember this being such a huge news event that I was curious to hear Elizabeth Smart's side of the story.

As the book went on, I found myself more and more invested in the story. I began to feel her pain and fear and it finally started to be a bit more believable. The feeling that the book was written with very carefully crafted lawyer-endorsed storytelling never really left but beneath it all you couldn't help but feel brutalized with her. I wanted to jump back in time and save her from what was a very sloppy kidnapping.

I think that if the book was taken on literary merits alone, most people would be let down. It's not an incredibly well written tale and as I stated, it seems like she was describing events as if to try to convince a jury rather than as a completely open account. However, by the end of the book I was so incredibly emotionally invested and inspired that it overwhelmed my other disappointments. I'm sure that there are people who are calling Elizabeth Smart a hero and a bunch of other things after she finally made it out of her captor's grasp, but I think more accurately she is simply a victim of a terrible crime who decided to allow herself to find happiness in life rather than allowing her experiences to make her a victim for eternity. Her faith and perseverance through these events was truly inspiring and goose-pimple inducing.



View all my reviews

Review: Burial Rites

Pin It

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This novel was just about perfect. There are few times you read a book and the author just completely gets it right, but this was one of those books. Burial Rites was an immensely engrossing story about Agnes Magnusdottir, a young Icelandic maid, awaiting her death sentence for the murder of two young men. Following her sentence she is sent to live in isolation on a farm to await her execution. The story follows her interactions with the family that is forced to keep her on their farm and the priest that is charged with guiding her to her death.

It is a heart-breaking novel that unravels the details of the murders and the desperation of a young girl who is hopelessly in love. The setting and storytelling feels very authentic to the time period and I was able to put myself in the minds and lives of the characters. I honestly don't know much about Iceland in the 1800s... or any other time period... but the novel presented a very mysterious country and the harshness it requires to live in a place that is so unforgiving.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. Things didn't always turn out as I wanted them to but that made the book even more perfect. Hannah Kent includes an afterword that states that the story is based on actual historic events from Icelandic history, and I felt that she did them justice. This is a must-read for lovers of historical fiction!



View all my reviews

The "revolution" that no one cares about and that won't change anything.

Pin It

Yesterday literally tens of Mormon women throughout the world decided that they were going to stick it to the man by organizing an event called "Wear Pants to Church Day." While this movement has far from taken off, it is turning just enough heads that it has become annoying and some people are beginning to think that it actually matters. These women have turned something that absolutely no one inside or outside of the Mormon church cares about into a perceived "gender issue." These are the s#$%-kickers of the LDS world who are under the false assumption that not wearing a dress to church is going to reform the religion.

For the most part, I don't discuss my religion online. I don't like throwing it in anyone's face and have fairly liberal views compared to many of my counterparts. I didn't vote for Romney (don't get too excited. I didn't vote for Obama either), I support the legalization of marijuana, and I don't particularly care whether the gays get married. I do, however, think that this ridiculous "revolution" has to stop.

Let me start off by explaining a few things to you. The LDS church doesn't impose any dress code or requirements for what people have to wear to church. They never have. People frequently attend church in all manner of attire depending on their circumstances. I know many doctors who attend church in scrubs when they are on call or police officers who are heading on-duty following the service so they wear their uniforms. There are also frequently visitors from outside the church who attend our meetings wearing jeans and t-shirts either because they can't afford anything nicer or because they simply didn't know what was appropriate. No one bats an eye. At least I don't.

I honestly couldn't tell you what a single person wore on Sunday, including myself. Actually scratch that, I know that Jack was wearing a baby-blue suit and I only remember that because I was gleefully reminded of Dumb and Dumber, one of the greatest movies of all time. If only he had worn a top-hat.... But let's be honest, attending church shouldn't be about adorning yourself in snazzy duds or a fashion statement of any kind. This isn't America's Next Top Model, it's church.

I can can hear the objections now: "Nay, Stewart! You are an ignoramus and you lie through your teeth! No one will believe that you aren't expected to dress a certain way in the Mormon church. I mean you guys have to wear that special underwear and stuff." And okay, I concede that there is a generally accepted rule for how people should dress.

Pay attention closely because I'm going to tell you what that rule is (this is top-secret Mormon stuff): You should wear your best clothing. Look in your closet and see what you have there. If I told you that I was throwing a fancy shin-dig and that you should wear your best do-dads, what would you be swaggering in? For most men, our best clothing is a suit and tie (or a bow-tie if you really know how to rock it), which is what most men in the church wear. For most women, their best clothing is a dress or skirt. There are also women who have a very nice business pant suit as their best outfit. Cool, wear it. I don't think anyone would notice. This concept isn't unique to the Mormon world and I really don't understand how it is sexist at all.

Think about if you went to a nice Christmas work party were the standard was 'black tie' or formal. What would the women be wearing? Sweat pants? Yoga gear? T-shirts and jeans? Well, you wouldn't be attending with me. I would be wearing my suit and a festive tie with a pocket square... possibly red underpants to match (okay, you caught me, I already pointed out that that wasn't true). My wife would be looking absolutely bangin' in a nice dress.

What I really fail to understand is what (and who) you all are fighting against? How can you be battling gender roles and the rules of dress when those rules simply don't exist. I used to fight with my imaginary friends when I was little but eventually I realized that there is no glory of giving a suplex to my imaginary friend when it's all in my head. That's exactly what this protest is.

Someone also needs to explain to me what is so terribly unnatural or uncomfortable about wearing a skirt or dress? Quite honestly I think it sounds fabulous! Winding blowing freely throughout my undercarriage.... It's practically like going naked. This would be my choice of clothing if no one would object. So, why is this handful of women so intent on shoving themselves into a significantly less comfortable alternative in the name of equal rights? If I didn't have to wear pants all day, you better believe I'd be flapping in the breeze. I could understand a bit if you were improving things for someone... but you're simply not.

So you may be wondering why I care, if these women are simply fighting an imaginary war. Well, because church isn't the place for that. In the LDS church, we consider our meetinghouse to be the house of God and our meetings are meant to be our way of worshiping Him. The way we dress and act is a reflection of our respect for the Lord and for those around us. It is not the forum for making a political statement on gender roles. Wear what you want but do it respectfully and don't bring your political agenda to a worship service.

(Appropriate)

 

(Appropriate)

(Not appropriate)

The other problem I have with it is that the few women who support this movement in our local congregation are not wearing nice pants that are their "Sunday best." They are wearing yoga pants and t-shirts. These are the same pants you went for a jog in yesterday and did your shopping in the day before. These women aren't poor and unable to adorn themselves in something more befitting of the occasion. They are simply lazy. If you're in my congregation and seriously can't afford a skirt or nice pair of pants so this is your excuse for wearing sweat pants for "Wear Pants to Church Day," please let me know. I am a poor medical student but will happily help you get something more appropriate for church.

If your purpose in wearing pants is to align the genders more equally, then why dress like a slob? Buy a nice pair of dress pants or a business suit and show a little bit of respect. Why not teach your kids that the house of the Lord is a place to show him respect and worship him, rather than make a statement by dressing like someone from a lululemon catalogue. Oh, no wait, I forgot, this isn't about Him, it's about you, right?

Congratulations, you have successfully helped no one and managed to look like a homeless person while doing it.

Review: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

Pin It

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I'm going to be honest and admit that prior to reading 'A Constellation of Vital Phenomena' I didn't even really know where Chechnya was. My best guess would have been somewhere Russia-ish - in the eastern half of the world. I certainly wasn't aware of the way people live in that part of the world. For the most part I have been happy in my ignorance, occasionally reading a book about a country where you expect wars and danger, like Afghanistan.

Despite my ignorance, I dove in to the pages and found myself engrossed in the characters and events. This story was just my cup of tea. It told the story of war-torn Chechnya and a couple of doctors who find their lives thrown together while hiding a little girl whose father was taken to a prison camp. It is a dark and heart-breaking story but is told so beautifully that you won't be able to get enough.

I love books that tie multiple events and stories together but often find that they aren't executed well by the author. This is one of the successful ones. I've never read anything previously by the author but his story-telling ability is phenomenal.

The book awarded me with not only an immensely enjoyable tale but also a desire to learn a little more about our friends in Chechnya.



View all my reviews

Review: More Than Human

Pin It

More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



This was a very, very weird book. I'm convinced that the concept was simply beyond the capacity of my intellect because I was lost most of the time I was reading. There were times when I was intrigued and lost in the story but overall I just felt lost.

Basically, if I understood correctly, this is a story about a group of people, mostly children, who are the next step in the evolutionary chain. They have unique abilities such as telekinesis, which when combined together make a "gestalt" unit that basically has incredible ability to do just about anything and control anyone. It's a very complicated and scattered tale that took either a genius or a lunatic to write (possibly both).

I generally try to read for enjoyment and the brains that it took to understand what was going on in this story took most of the fun out of it for me. Theodore Sturgeon is a gifted author but just not my style.



View all my reviews

Review: The End of Your Life Book Club

Pin It

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



This is a book about the death of the author's mother. That explanation is on its own is sufficient for me to have expected a heart-breaking.... or inspiring.... or emotional story. What I really ended up reading was a fairly dry, unemotional, one-dimensional tribute to Will Schwalbe's mother. The book essentially follows the last couple of years of Schwalbe's time with his mom where they share their love of books while they chat in waiting rooms at doctor's offices. The concept sounds like it would be full of heartbreak and tear-filled bonding between mother and son but it really wasn't.

I don't want to sell this book short as not being a lovely tribute to his mother, because I'm sure she'd be very proud, but what it lacked was a reason for me, the reader (who doesn't know his mom), to be interested. It lacked a heart. As with most eulogies, the author seemed unable to admit to any flaws in his mom, which is understandable but makes for bland reading. She's depicted basically as a superhuman who has single-handedly changed the world and hasn't said or done a single negative thing in her life. She was completely selfless and a champion of humanity. That's all well and good and very well may be true, but it just felt like a child describing why their mom is the best mom. The moments in the book that were told as life-lessons felt more like a advocacy campaign than a book I'd want to read.

I enjoyed some of the discussion about the novels they read, especially since I have read many of those myself, but that was mostly due to a comradery that I had regarding the other book, not because the story in this one made it more interesting or compelling. The concept fell flat and was lost in banal descriptions of the things that filled Schwalbe's time with his mom.

What really disappointed me the most is that the book simply lacked emotion. Something like this should have brought a grown man to his knees in a puddle of tears. I didn't even feel sad, or anything else for that matter, when his mom died. To me this one is a book to skip.



View all my reviews

Review: The Devil All the Time

Pin It

The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Holy moly this was a dark book. I had read that in reviews before picking it up but I definitely wasn't prepared for what I read. As I got deeper and deeper into the story I actually disgusted myself that I somehow was able to sympathize with some of the wretched people in this story. This was my first experience reading something by Donald Ray Pollock but the tone and flavor of the book felt very much like something by Cormac McCarthy... but much, much darker.

This was one of those books that I'm not sure I know who I could recommend it to partly because they may question my sanity in such a high rating of such a brutal book but also because I think that everyone I know is much too innocent for a tale of this kind. However I have to admit that it was a fantastically entertaining story and kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end!



View all my reviews

Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Pin It

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



The author of 'The Fault in Our Stars' might as well have just squirted lemon juice in my eyes. It really wasn't fair what was done here with this story.... First, start off with some extremely like-able teenagers and give them terminal illnesses. Then, pepper in some hopeless romance and voila! I'm going to have to stop pretending that I have a single masculine bone in my body because half of the country was witness to me passing by in my car while I choked back bitter tears on my roadtrip.

Before I gush about why I liked this story, let me first say that there was so much to hate about it. It was overly sentimental and indulgent and the characters were far from believable (at least unlike any kids I have ever met... or like I ever knew when I was young). The dialogue between Hazel and Augustus, while clever and intelligent on paper (or audio), was fairly unnatural and formulated.

But.... ahhhhh, fight as I might, it all sucked me in. Behind all the weaknesses and faults with the story, I loved everything about it. I somehow forgot that I hate cheesy teen romances and blubbery sentimentality and succumbed to my soft side. The story is completely heartbreaking and gut-wrenching. I am not over-exaggerating when I report that my face was contorted for nearly the last 2 hours of this audiobook while I attempted to cover my tears up and hide them from passers-by. I should really be ashamed that a story could get me so well.

Look, in the end I think this is a solid 3-star book but when something is able to reach inside me so deeply and juggle my heart for 8 hours without stopping, I have to increase the reward. When all is said and done, I think it is a book I'll probably never forget. Be warned, if you pick this up, you will cry. I promise.



View all my reviews

The pen is mightier...

Pin It

To add to my list of geeky interests, lately I have found myself drawn to the Honjo Masamune of writing instruments - the fountain pen. Whenever I bring up my interest in fountain pens to anyone, I get pretty much the same response: "Seriously? Dude, you must be gay. A pen is a freaking pen. Here, I'll lend you my Bic."

I don't want your Bic. I want a glorious and powerful weapon for conquering the written word. I want my pen to be as mighty as the sword.... like it has been said. Okay, I admit that that sounds a little over-the-top. Perhaps a tad bit sentimental for an inanimate object.... But I like that sentimentality. 

Everything we do nowadays is disposable or chopped into tiny fragments on a computer keyboard. I was want write stuff worth keeping.... with a pen. And don't tell me that the pen doesn't matter - that it's just the words. That's not wholly untrue but I want my words to appear as nice as they sound. Watch this video and see what I mean:

Now of course it isn't realistic to spend 2 minutes typing every letter you write but I want to take back some of the art in my writing that was stolen by computers. I want to learn how to make things beautiful on paper. Now, you may be wondering what exactly I intend to write with these mind-blowing fountain pens. That's a dang good question. I'm not quite sure. I enjoy writing in a journal occasionally and I also throw out some rhymes every once and a while... and by rhymes I mean the kind that Robert Frost threw down, not Slim Shady. Of course, I'm not Robert Frost and I may never create anything worth much to anyone... but I still want something that one day my children or grandchildren can pick up and hold in their hands and say, "You know what, Grandpa was a weird duck but he sure was passionate about something." That's good enough for me.

So, hence the fountain pens. Of course, I don't really have a nice one yet. I have some really cheap Pilot Varsity pens (which are actually more of a pleasure to write with than I expected) and I have a Lamy Safari waiting at home in CLE for me to try out when I finally get home. But, I WANT to own a nice pen. I have to admit that I have spent hours on Youtube watching videos by InkNouveau and sbrebrown and a bunch of others lusting after pens and inks and notebooks. Perhaps a graduation gift to myself will justify the cost of a nice pen next year.

My wish list is overflowing with pens right now but here are some of the ones that are on my 'yes please' list right now:

Waterman Carene - this is at the very top of my list. This is my lust pen. I've already named her in my dreams.

Namiki Falcon - this baby seems glorious and has a semi-flexible nib which makes it nice for doing some calligraphy work as well.

Sheaffer Valor - just an absolutely beautiful pen with an inlaid nib.

Yard-o-Led Viceroy Grand Victorian - this pen itself is a work of art... but is also a pipe-dream.

Pilot Custom 74 - a little more practical, everyday type of pen.

Say what!?

Pin It

Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Pin It

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I venture that there are two types of people in this world: Those who love Neil Gaiman and those who hate him. There are no shades of grey here. He is a polarizing force... and I side with those who love his novels. I feel somewhat like a kid when I read his work - like my imagination is free to roam and my adulthood can hide in a cupboard for a while. There is something amazing about a book when you can picture yourself as a character and travel through wild, otherworldly settings with excitement at every word you read.

I'll admit that I'm not always sure what I've read when I'm done. I think sometimes his grand message escapes me but I found reading 'The Ocean at the End of the Lane' so enjoyable that the message was irrelevant. I think trying to explain this book to someone is also pointless as I don't have Neil Gaiman's talent at painting a beautiful picture with words.

'The Ocean at the End of the Lane' is one of the best quick reads you'll pick up this year. It is your chance to relive your childhood imagination as an adult... without feeling like you're reading a children's book. It was a quite brilliant read if you ask me.



View all my reviews

Review: The Devil in Silver

Pin It

The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I worked in a lock-down psych facility for several years so this story resonated with me probably more than the average reader. I would venture that Victor LaValle has spent some time of his own locked away in one of these wards... perhaps as a patient or maybe as staff... because there is no way he could have captured the atmosphere so completely without living there himself. From the desperation of Pepper and the other patients to the unfairness of their confinement, this story held as much fact as fiction. In fact, some of the scarier parts of the story are those which hold truth. Pepper is just one of many held prisoner in an ineffective system that harbors nightmares and demons.

I have read some of the negative reviews of this book and in my head I can hear myself saying, "you just don't get it." This was truly a brilliant read. It brought me back to my days when a tiny schizophrenic girl with 3 inch long nails violently attacked me, a 200lb+ man (with great success). I could imagine the halls full of patients shuffling around the floors in a drug-induced stupor because the doctor's didn't know how to manage them in their manic states. I can see people truly believing their were demons on the ward... or in my days truly believing they were giving birth to puppies.

It's amazing what our mind can convince us of and the story of how it is managed is truly a nightmare. Books like this make me shiver a bit to consider that one day any of us could find ourselves with our minds not quite cooperating....

The Devil in Silver is a brilliant story that may hit home for some people like me, but is a worthy and exciting read for just about anyone!



View all my reviews

Review: The Last Policeman

Pin It

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Here is a case where I convinced myself that this book was one thing when it really turned out to be another... and the thing I wanted it to be was a better story. The premise is interesting enough - a policeman who is trying to solve a murder when he knows the world is going to end in about 6 months. Sounds like a great pre-apocalytpic story, right?

I love apocalyptic stuff. It drives me wild! What's more exciting than facing the end or being one of the few survivors after the end? Well.... that's not at all what this book is about. Seriously, that part of the story kind of felt like an afterthought. Really it's nothing more than a semi-decent whodunit. It honestly would have been almost the exact same book without the apocalyptic setting. And that, my friends, was extremely disappointing to me.

I'm not much of a crime novel fan (that's my wife) so this one kind of fell flat for me. The writing was decent and the plot turns were clever enough... but when I'm promised the world burning to a pulp, that's what I want to be the belle of the ball! This is more a story for James Patterson fans than those who were looking for something like Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'.



View all my reviews

Review: The Husband's Secret

Pin It

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I'll admit that the only reason I started reading The Husband's Secret was because it was on Amazon's 'Best Books of the Month' list in August. I was somewhat teased by this story of a husband holding some deep dark secret... but really I just wanted to be cool and read something that someone else around me may have picked up. Being a book nerd is always easier with cohorts.

Think of how surprised I was when the book actually turned out to be awesome! I'll admit that there were times when I felt slightly emasculated to be telling people that I was reading a book called 'The Husband's Secret'. Something about the title seems slightly feminine and the book cover doesn't help. And to be truthful, at first the author's voice felt overly feminine and I was convinced it would be a read meant to appeal to women... and perhaps it was... but I'll tell you, I went for an intense ride in this one too.

The Husband's Secret brought to life several interesting conundrums that caused me to have to think seriously about my own view on people and how we judge them. How would I react to a buried secret that my own wife had concealed? Does a good person stick by the people they love regardless of what they may have done? I'll tell you, this was a book that was hard to put down. There were plenty of nights when I had finally forced myself to put the book down and go to sleep where I'd just lay in bed contemplating what I would do if my life turned out like these characters.

It's hard to even review the book without wanting to spoil it and uncover the secrets these characters have buried.

All in all this was a phenomenal read... and not just one for the girls!





View all my reviews

Review: Doomsday Book

Pin It

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Doomsday Book was my first taste of Connie Willis' writing. She is something of a staple in sci-fi and I was teased by regular references to her work. The premise of the book was tempting enough - in the not-too-distant future, time travel has somehow been discovered and a historian is sent back in time to one of the most dangerous periods in history and is entangled in the crises of the time while her modern counterparts faced a new plague. This sounded to me like a plot that would easily equate to awesomeness.

Unfortunately, the potential of the plot was overshadowed by excessive descriptions of boring events. As many other people have mentioned in their reviews, the book was 150-200 pages too long. The most exciting moments in the book took place in the last 15% or so but by that time I had lost every tiny bit of interest I had.

The most interesting parts of the story were easily those which took place in the past. It seems that Connie Willis put more time into the historical aspects of the story than she did the sci-fi stuff. Echoing what others have said, the future was so un-futuristic that it felt like Willis gave up on that part of the story. Technology and medical advances that already existed in the 90s (when the book was written) was somehow not available in the future world of Doomsday Book.

I felt like Doomsday Book just kind of dragged. It took me far too long to read it because I simply couldn't invest myself in the story. Kirvin's character and her experiences were interesting but the other half of the story was snore-inducing. If I try another Connie Willis book, it will definitely be one of her shorter ones so that I won't feel like I wasted so much time if it is as slow as this was.



View all my reviews

Always keeping a man down

Pin It It's hard to be a man.... and a superhero.

Review: Joyland

Pin It

Joyland by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



With Stephen King publishing 3-5 books a year, you'd think that they would come out as pure rubbish. I mean, how many great book ideas can an author have in a year, especially when many of them are of the epic length of books like 11/22/63 or Under The Dome? I almost hate to love everything he writes so much because no one should be THIS good. Naturally, even Stephen King puts out a book I hate (ex. Lisey's Story) but this was certainly not one of those times.

Joyland was, in a nutshell, everything I love about Stephen King. It was more than just a simple who-done-it or a horror, or any other book that fits in a genre. He pulled me in with complex, exciting characters and brilliantly depicted scenes. There was a coming-of-age element to the book that also felt somewhat refreshing and different from what I imagined I would be reading. There were times that I was creeped out, times when I wanted to cry, and times when I wanted to shout for joy. Joyland was such an immensely entertaining book that I can't recommend it loudly enough.

This is proof that 50 books later, Stephen King can still throw out a killer novel!



View all my reviews

Review: Saga, Volume 1

Pin It

Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The man behind some of the best graphic novels ever written is back again with a solid addition to his resume. Saga is no Y: The Last Man, but it is an exciting new installation in geek literature. The illustration is stunning and the writing is fantastic.

I definitely recommend this one!



View all my reviews

Pin It

Hodor humor

Pin It

#WhatADame

Pin It
My crush on Wonder Woman has just resurfaced.

Wolverine: The Musical

Pin It
The second most incredible Canadian is finally the star of a musical. This is awesome in so many ways.

The Superhero Hangover

Pin It
What happens when superheroes get together to let it all hang loose? Just watch and find out.

super awesome tank top

Pin It

Don't even try to pretend that this tank top wouldn't look fantastic on your wife or girlfriend or Mike Kearl. This is a piece of art. You can get one at Hot Topic if you want.

It's cheesy

Pin It

#truth

Pin It

Shakespeare + Star Wars = The Ultimate #Nerdgasm

Pin It
How do you create the perfect marriage of all things awesome?

You combine Shakespeare and Star Wars. Yes, this new book, William Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher is just about the best piece of literature ever created - and I'm making that judgement without ever having read it.

Now naturally you'll be blessed with a more in-depth review once I actually receive my copy in the mail but I can't fathom how this jewel could be anything less than amazing. Aside from the absolutely genius story combination, the author has also made sure that the book is jam packed with Victorian style illustrations in a beautiful hard cover edition. To me this sounds divine. If you want a copy of your own, you can snag it at most online book sellers. Here's a link to it on Amazon.

Review: And the Mountains Echoed

Pin It

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Khaled Hosseini knows the precise formula required to pluck at my heart strings and wring tears from my eyes. I'm not an emotional man by nature but as I sat here between patients in clinic and finished 'And the Mountains Echoed', the crevices of my face nearly became salt rivers. With every book of his I read, this man reaches right into my soul and sucker-punches me - giving me an always-needed reminder of my humanity and of the joys and heartbreak of life.

Like his other novels, I found 'And the Mountains Echoed' beautifully crafted and intricately designed. Unlike many other novels with multiple perspectives, every character is complex and relatable. I felt like I could live the happiness and misery of every single character. What I love most about the book is that although the story is interesting and can stand on its own, Khaled Hosseini crafted every sentence with the stroke of a master and each flowed like poetry. Even without a central storyline this book would have been fantastic.

I simply couldn't recommend this book emphatically enough! In return for transforming me into a blubbering emotional basketcase, I give 'And the Mountains Echoed' a loud gracious cheer and a tip of my hat. Mr. Hosseini, you sir should be mighty proud of this work of art.



View all my reviews

Review: Dad Is Fat

Pin It

Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Jim Gaffigan is one of the best comedians performing today so I was sincerely excited to read this book. It came as a huge surprise to me that 'Dad is fat' just wasn't that funny. Sure, there were a few giggle moments and I smirked during many moments of his short essays but overall it just sounded like the daddy humor that I've heard a million times before. It certainly wasn't to the standard I expected. I have heard most of this book before Jim ever wrote it - in daddy bitch-fests while I hang out with my buddies.

I can picture my wife laughing hysterically at this book because she appreciates family humor a bit more than I do but this just wasn't enough comedy for me.



View all my reviews

Review: Hounded

Pin It

Hounded by Kevin Hearne

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I only read Hounded based on the recommendation of a friend who probably oversold it by describing it as the best book he'd ever read. I can see why the book might appeal to some people - the characters are exciting and it is full of mythical and historic references. It's right up the alley for fantasy geeks... if you prefer your fantasy of the more light-hearted variety.

For me, this simply just wasn't my cup of tea. The writing was flippant and didn't make me want to emotionally invest in the characters. I like the concept much more than I liked the execution. The first-person voice in this particular novel also annoyed me a bit, adding to my lack of interest. I think I'll stick to the more serious, non-buttery fantasy novels in the future.



View all my reviews

Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Pin It
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I rarely, if ever, read a complete series of books. Perhaps it is the fact that I have a short attention span and a run of books on the same topic can't keep me entertained. Or maybe it is that the second book usually ends up being a disappointment. In the case of Catching Fire, the problem was the latter.

As much as I don't like to join the bandwagon of teens who carried the first book to massive success, I actually loved The Hunger Games in both of its forms - as a book first and later in the movie. It captured an exciting dystopian society and didn't dumb down the writing so much that I lost interest. Even the obnoxious teen romance was palatable because the rest of the story took the forefront. I was excited to check out the Catching Fire after everyone promised me it was even better than the first and I would go batty over it.

The problem is that everything I didn't like about The Hunger Games, was amplified times ten in Catching Fire. The teen love triangle took up almost the entire first half of the book, even when the story was trying to build up to something interesting. My wife kept telling me that "it gets better", and indeed it did... but it became a case of too-little-too-late. Sure, the hunger games portion was fun but it was less than half the book and truthfully wasn't that different from the first book. I can't imagine why people thought this one was great. The excitement that I had for the story was lost in Katniss' blubbering about Gale and Peeta. Barf, Barf, Barf.

No doubt I will continue to watch the movies because they only take up 2 hours of my time but I can almost guarantee that another round of the Hunger Games book series will not be in my future.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Reanimation of Edward Schuett by Derek Goodman

Pin It
The Reanimation of Edward Schuett by Derek J. Goodman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I never thought I'd be able to find another zombie book as kick ass as World War Z was but then this little beauty came along! The Reanimation of Edward Schuett is what I've been waiting for for years - a fresh, totally unique zombie story that actually has a brain. Nothing like your traditional been-there-done-that, 'let's see who can create the most gory brain-eater' type of thing, The Reanimation of Edward Schuett reinvented the way we look at the undead. It actually gave them a soul. And I loved it!

This novel had it all - gore, action, science, emotionally-engrossing characters, and yes, even a bit of romance (that didn't make me want to puke!). It was everything I ask for in a novel. I just wish there were more of it.

I never even considered that any other book would take over the top spot over WWZ as my favorite zombie novel but I think Derek Goodman may have managed to do it here. It's a close call but they are so different from each other that I don't even feel like I have to choose! This is a zombie novel that anyone could swallow!

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

Pin It
The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is definitely one where I question my sanity in giving a 5-star rating. The story is so agonizingly painful and frustrating that I wanted to throw my book at the wall while Caleb and Camille tortured their children for the sake of art. There were glorious moments of laughter but my overwhelming reaction to the book was wanting to slap someone across the face with it.

Why the 5-star review then? Well, because Kevin Wilson did such a masterful job of making me hate Caleb and Camille and feel sorry for A and B that I didn't want to stop the agony! This was a brilliantly written book that made me actually feel like I was emotionally invested in the craziness and heartbreak that everyone went through. That fact alone deserves 5 stars.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Pin It
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been a Jodi Picoult fan for years and while I agree with her critics that she has a predictable formula is her stories, it is a formula I thoroughly enjoy. She always takes controversial subjects and leads you along in a story that leaves you questioning your morals. I love stories that challenge my belief system and make me think beyond the story itself.

The Storyteller is another such example of this. It takes an emotionally challenging subject and makes you tread the line between right and wrong, good and evil. For the most part, the story was successful and thought-provoking. There were a few times when I felt frustrated by the lack of depth in Leo and some of the minor characters but overall I felt the story was well crafted and the different voices blended together well.

The one major flaw of this book was that the ending was so utterly predictable that I could have finished off the writing myself. Normally Jodi Picoult leaves me with questions that lack answers, and I like this. This time she made the ending too easy. I guarantee that anyone who reads the first third of this book will figure out exactly how it ends. It's a shame because otherwise this story was brilliant.

When all is said and done, The Storyteller is a book that pretty much any Jodi Picoult fan will enjoy and joins the list of her books I love.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Games by Ted Kosmatka

Pin It
The Games by Ted Kosmatka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Games was a pure adrenaline rush. Don't be fooled by the title or timing of the book's release, this isn't a copycat of The Hunger Games.

The story is filled with action and gore and Kosmatka did a fantastic job of researching the medical and scientific topics that are covered in the story which made it an engrossing, fast-paced read.

Very little time is spent indulging the ethical nature of the story, which is a shame, but at the least, it forces the reader to think beyond the story to the implications (which really aren't too far fetched to modern society).

This book went way beyond my expectations and definitely think it is a worthy read for someone who just wants to participate in an action-packed adventure.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Man Made by Joel Stein

Pin It
Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity by Joel Stein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Joel Stein took on the quest that I have contemplated myself since my son was born 6 years ago. There were actually times when I felt like he had somehow gotten inside my head and found all of my insecurities and decided to go test them. I don't know if this is a challenge that all new fathers face but the lack of confidence in our manliness is definitely something that both Joel and I have in common.

From the moment I read the first paragraph, I knew I was going to love this book. I laughed, cried, laughed some more and got inspired along the way while he desperately grasped for any bit of rugged toughness he could find to fill in his own gaps in masculinity. Just like him, I want the best for my son and have often wondered if I am man enough to teach him how he should be. How can I teach him to kill a bear with his bare hands if I spent my childhood playing with Carebears with my sisters?

I'm glad that Joel Stein fought an MMA fighter so that I didn't have to. Maybe we're just fine as fathers after all. All I know is that this is one of the best memoirs I have read. I'm sure that not everyone will feel as connected as I was to the story but it is a laugh-out-loud adventure that is definitely worth the read!

View all my reviews

Pin It

The news is better with autotune

Pin It
I rarely watch the news anymore because I always know that within a few days someone will make it more interesting by applying autotune effects to it. Case and point:

Get your cosplay on

Pin It
There are few things as awesomely nerdy as cosplay... although my thoughts of Lollipop Chainsaw have made me forget what those things are.

What if money was no object?

Pin It


Transcript:

What do you desire? What makes you itch? What sort of a situaion would you like?

Let's suppose -- I do this often in vocational guidence of students. They come to me and say, "Well, uh, we're getting out of college, and we haven't the faintest idea of what we want to do."

So I always ask the question, "What would you like to do if money were no object? How would you really enjoy spending your life?"

Well, it's so amazing. As a result of our kind of educational system, crowds of students say, "Well, we'd like to be painters, we'd like to be poets, we'd like to be writers. But as everybody knows you can't earn any money that way."

Or another person says, "I'd like to live an out-of-doors life and ride horses."

I said, "Do you want to teach at a riding school? Let's go through with it. What do you want to do?"

When we finally got down to something which the individual says he really wants to do. I will say to him, "you do that, and forget the money. Because if you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you will spend your life completely wasting your time. You will be doing things you don't like doing in order to go on living that is to go on doing things you don't like doing. Which is STUPID! Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way."

And after all, if you do really like what your'e doing, it doesn't matter what it is, you can eventually become a master of it. It's the only way to become a master of something, to be really with it. And then you'll be able to get a good fee for whatever it is. So don't worry too much. Somebody's interested in everything. And anything you can be interested in, you'll find others who are.

But it's absolutely stupid to spend your time doing things you don't like in order to go on doing things you don't like and to teach your children to follow in the same track. See, what we're doing is we're bringing up children, and educating them to live the same sort of lives we're living in order that they may justify themselves and find satisfaction in life by bringing up their children to bring up their children to do the same thing. It's all wretch and no vomit. It never gets there!

And so therefore it's so important to consider this question. "What do I desire?"

Pin It

a double helping of epic geekiness

Pin It
Artist Matthew Olin is the genius responsible for these typographical masterpieces.