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Another Year. Another Goal of 50 Books.
Here's a list of my 2015 reads:
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Now, on to 2016!

Wish List:
Morning Star (2/9), A Little Life, White Trash Zombie Gone Wild, The Rose and the Dagger (5/3), Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Parasite (series), Armada. I think that's a good start.

More on the wish list: 2/19/16
Me Before You, Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina, Crenshaw, Becoming Nicole, Beasts of No Nation, The War the Saved My Life, The Appalachian Trail (ATC).

Sarah wrote: "Another Year. Another Goal of 50 Books.
Here's a list of my 2015 reads:
/topic/show/...

Now, on to 2016!"

Good luck, and happy reading!

1) Titanic: Voices From The Disaster; Deborah Hopkinson; Jan 8; 2.5*

Very disappointed in this book. The first half is so bad, I almost didn't finish it. I began reading it last fall, and just decided that since I'd already read half -- I might as well get it over with.
I remain unsure if the reason for my disappointment resides in the lack of research and information, or the writing style that presents the information. I'm pretty sure it's a combination of the two. There's a lot of speculation in this book about what people were doing, and too few (or inaccurate) facts about various aspects of the event. I did enjoy the drawings and photographs included in this book, however. I think it was an ok attempt, but it could have been done much better. Wikipedia has more accurate and less biased information about the Titanic. (And that's just sad, b/c this is Wiki we're talking about.) Probably the most useful parts of this book are the bibliography, source notes and photo credits for people to do their own research. Sad, but true.
I'm convinced the only people who would consider this a good resource are those who haven't read other (better) resources about the Titanic.

2) A Little Life; Hanya Yanagihara; Jan 24; 3.5*

I appreciate that this book brings attention to a type of suffering that most people can't fathom, and the rest just deal with. Is it a little much? Yes. Is it obvious the writer doesn't really know what she's talking about, but she gives an admirable attempt? Yes. I went into this book expecting both sadness and graphic anything, and I got neither. (No tears. No cringe.) It is so obviously a book about men written by a woman, and that to me is disappointing. I would have appreciated less implausibility, and more realism. I would have appreciated her not giving away the ending a little over halfway through the book. (Predictability is not something I generally appreciate in a novel.) And since I'm an idiot, I had to read the first 200 pages with a note-card to keep the characters straight. (I read the first 50 pages, then realized I didn't have a clue who anyone was, and had to start over and keep notes until I could keep them straight. So far, this is the only book I've had to do that for.)
Was it worth the time it took to read? Yes. Do I think it could have been dramatically improved? Yes. Is it pretentious? Lol -- you bet. But it is what it is, and you'll either love it or hate it.

And let me just piss everyone off and say that, if you've lived a happy, sheltered life, then this book might be shocking. But for the rest of us, this is just another book.

3) Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness: One-Minute Tips for Decluttering and Refreshing Your Home and Your Life, Donna Smallin, Jan 28; 4*

No new, earthshattering information in here about decluttering. However, it's an easy, enjoyable read that's full of tips to cut down on clutter issues and inspire you to just get up and do something. That's what I really liked about this book -- the encouragement that doing anything towards solving the problem is moving in the right direction, and this book is full of ideas of how to start small. And it reminds you that it's ok to start small, the important thing is just to start.
I didn't agree with all the tips, but I think that's to be expected. It will also occasionally contradict itself (IE: acquire and keep a,b,c on each floor for ease of accessibility vs. get rid of any doubles you may have). The tip I most plan to look into: , for reducing unsolicited mail.
Summary: Commit to Change and Take Action!
Sidenote: This book was great for my busy life & short attention span -- just a few sentences on each page. Totally doable read, especially when I only had a few minutes here and there.

4) Morning Star; Pierce Brown; Mar 22; 4.3*

Loved it. Not only this book, but the whole bloodyd*mn series.

I will admit that I had to slog through the beginning (and by beginning, I mean the first 1/5 of the book). But it's one of those books that rewards the readers who finish it. I think the tone of this book is very different than the previous two, which I initially found off-putting, but once I accepted it as part of the evolution of the story -- I was fine with it. Overall, I think the author made a lot of good decisions for finishing the series.

My only recommendation for would-be readers is to go into this book blind. Don't read articles about it or the author. Don't read reviews. Don't talk to friend about it, particularly those who have already read the book. Don't accidentally ruin the experience for yourself. Just pick it up and get started.

This is the first book series I'm (already) making plans to reread.

So, it looks like I'll be doing most of my pleasure reading in May.
I'm hoping to start it on May 9th.
My calendar is marked in anticipation of the joyous event. :-)

Sarah wrote: "So, it looks like I'll be doing most of my pleasure reading in May.
I'm hoping to start it on May 9th.
My calendar is marked in anticipation of the joyous event. :-)"

:) Enjoy!

5) White Trash Zombie Gone Wild; Diana Rowland; Apr 27; 4*
This book was surprisingly good. I was afraid it would feel a little desperate, as the 5th of anything usually does, but it's still felt fresh. Is it kind of ridiculous? Sure, but that's part of the fun.

6) Crenshaw; Katherine Aplegate; Apr 30; 4*
A nice mixture of humor (large, imaginary cat) and serious (poverty & homelessness) content . The struggle to get through difficult times (of one kind or another) is real for almost everyone, and this book makes that experience accessible to both children and adults. Regarding poverty, it will either build empathy in those more-fortunate, or give the less-fortunate someone to identify with.

7) Beasts of No Nation; Uzodinma Iweala; May 3; 2*
I REALLY hated the writing style. Hated it.
I were not likeing style of write. Be read book not style I happying.
Yeah. The whole book was like that. (This is a fine example of 1st person dialect done badly.) All 140-ish pages of it. I get that the author was trying to imply the POV was a small, illiterate child. There are better ways to do that.
The content of the book is fine. Nothing special. I can see how someone could make a movie from it, but this book by itself is not something I would recommend.

8) The Secret Lives of Hoarders: True Stories of Tackling Extreme Clutter; Matt Paxton; May 11; 4*
I liked this book. It talks about different levels of hoarding, and follows people who are at at some level of the spectrum, from what caused it, cleaning everything out, and their long-term results. There are also resources at the end. The writing style was pleasantly smooth, and it was an easy read; I admit to organizing more than normal while reading this book.

9) The Great American Dust Bowl; Don Brown; May 14; 3.5*
A good graphic novel to introduce the Dust Bowl, and its related devastation. Nice artwork. Well researched. I never felt emotionally involved in the story, but it's a good summary. It condensed a lot of information and made it accessible for young readers.

10) Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans; Don Brown; May 14; 4*
A good graphic novel to introduce the devastation that Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans. Nice artwork. Well researched. Although it's a summary of events, I definitely connected with the author's description of the people and their struggle. This books condensed a lot of information and made it accessible for young readers.

I'm not sure if I should have added these sooner, or if I shouldn't be adding them at all. I didn't track the chapters, so I'm not for-sure if I read all of the books and didn't realize it or if I read most of it and skipped a chapter. I think I read all of them. Either way, I'm adding them. Whatever.

11) Reference Sources and Services for Youth; Megan Harper; May 18; 4*
This book provided a good overview for youth reference. Smooth, easy reading and includes resources. For a textbook, it was pretty good.


12) Standard Cataloging for School and Public Libraries, 5th Ed.; Sheila Intner & Jean Weihs; May 18; 2.5*
I have no idea if the book was good or not. It seemed good, but it didn't help me understand cataloging any better, which was disappointing. I still suck at cataloging. I may be a little less-worse, but not by much. There's a lot of information, but I don't understand most of it. Is it more user error (me) than writer error (book)? No idea. I feel like this book properly exposed me to cataloging information, but didn't help me learn any of it, if that makes any sense.

13) Essentials of Sociology, 11th Ed.; James Henslin; May 19; 3.7*
Textbook for Intro to Sociology class. This isn't the first intro sociology textbook I've read. I didn't agree with everything in the book, and I remember noting some mistakes that probably don't matter to anyone but me. On the upside, I like the way the information was presented. I'm not a big psyc/socio person, but this book made me talk about sociology. Not in class, just randomly to friends and family. I think that says a lot about this book. I wouldn't read it for fun, but it gives a very thorough overview.

14) Earth Abides; George Stewart; June 9; 3.7*
This was an incredibly weird book. I spent the beginning trying to decide if I even wanted to continue reading, but I couldn't make myself put it down. This book is definitely a time piece. Some might call it dated, but it's not everyday that I read a book that references FDR's "New Deal" like it's a part of pop culture. I disagree with some of the assumptions the author made, but overall I think it brings up some interesting points about what we would do/become if the world we know didn't exist. Would we scavenge or would we create? I didn't find this a "quick" read, but I've really enjoyed thinking about the questions it leaves the reader asking about the survival of mankind and its post-apocalyptic direction of the future.

15) Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy; Noelle Stevenson et al; June 9; 3.5*
This is the first in the series, and definitely sets up the adventurous spirit I've come to love about the characters.

16) Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max; Noelle Stevenson et al; June 9; 3.5*
This one definitely helps make sense of some of the curious events of the first. *FYI: There is a kiss in this issue. If anyone asks, it was more for good luck than romance. Only time will tell if it leads to more in the storyline.*

17) Deep Dark Fears; Fran Kraus; June 17; 5*
As someone with a plethora of irrational fears, this book made me feel like I'm not alone. It's not everyday I read a book that makes me feel normal. Some are funny, some are creepy, and some I'm guilty of myself (or some variation thereof). I wish I could add my own to his next collection. :-)

18) The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 1: Squirrel Power; Ryan North & Erica Henderson; June 19; 4.5*
This comic is the most ridiculously hilarious book (comic or otherwise) I've read in a long time. Perhaps ever. It's upbeat, it references some other great comic characters, and there's lots of nuts and squirrels. And, of course, Squirrel Girl. If you need to read something that doesn't take itself too seriously, give this a try.

19) Lumberjanes, Vol. 3: A Terrible Plan; Noelle Stevenson et al; June 24; 3.8*
These are so fun. Another quest for adventure and badges. It looks like the storyline is pursuing the romance, and that's fine with me. I'm not sure how I feel about the constantly changing artwork. but at least the story is good.

20) The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 2: Squirrel You Know It's True; Ryan North & Erica Henderson; June 25; 3.2*
I loved the variety of Squirrel Girl stories in the first half, but it really started to lose me with adding a billion characters in the second half. It didn't even feel like I was still reading a Squirrel Girl comic anymore. It felt like she was just one of a bunch of random characters. Still love the series... I just want more Squirrel Girl!

21) Pregnant Butch: Nine Long Months Spent in Drag; A. K. Summers; June 26; 3.3*
This is pregnancy from a unique perspective. I thought it was interesting; I'm fine with the art style and content. I just didn't love it. I respect what the author has created, but it didn't speak to me.

22) Ghetto Klown; John Leguizamo; July 8; 3.8*
This was a fun, inside look at one of my favorite actors/comedians. I grew up watching his films and stand-up, so I was shocked when I saw he had a graphic novel. It was interesting to learn about his life: family, friends and acting career. It just goes to show that everyone has ups and downs in their life. With any luck, we can persevere to a happy ending.
PS:
My all-time favorite is his portrayal of Tybalt in "Romeo + Juliet."
And he really was the hottest/best of the three in "To Wong Foo."

This is becoming "The Year of the Graphic Novel."
I'm not necessarily proud of that.
I don't mind doing a couple here and there,
but this is getting ridiculous.
I'm hoping after this week, I'll have more time to read "real" books.
And exercise. Read and exercise. Oh, I like the sound of that.
Until then, though, I feel lucky to get anything read.
With or without pictures. :-)

23) iZombie, Vol. 1: Dead to the World; Chris Roberson et al; July 9; 3.4*
It was ok. I read a lot in the zombie genre, so the only thing about this comic I found really interesting was the oversoul/ undersoul explanation. That part seemed reasonably unique. I was disappointed that this volume wasn't its own story -- at least it didn't seem that way to me. No closure, just a build-up to... what? I don't know. I may or may not pursue more in this series to see if it goes anywhere interesting. Overall, it wasn't bad -- but I felt it could have been more.

24) Storm in the Barn; Matt Phelan; July 15; 4.3*
This was really good. The use of watercolor is as awesome as the story. There are parts of the story I didn't catch/ understand until the 2nd read, which was even better than the first. I really appreciate that the author took the risk in telling a unique story. Sure, it's got a little fantasy mixed with the historical fiction, but that's half the fun.

25) Dance Class, Vol. 1: So, You Think You Can Hip-Hop; Beka and Crip; July 16; 2.7*
I really enjoy reading about dance, but this just didn't really have enough of a story for me to enjoy it. Weight issues are a real part of dance culture, particularly ballet, and anyone who says differently is either lying, in denial, or has no experience. I thought this book handled that reality with humor and didn't try to pretend it doesn't exist. The jokes and jargon in the book are definitely for people who dance and can relate. This isn't a book you would hand to a non-dance person and expect them to understand.

Congratulations! You've reached the half way point in your reading goal. :)

Yay! Thanks.

26) The Haunted Library, #1; Dori Butler; July 16; 3.7*
This is a fun story about a ghost and his human friend. I like that it incorporated a mystery into the story. The characters are very endearing, and it's one of those rare books that makes a plot without having a "bad" guy -- which I thought was notable. I definitely want to read more in the series.
PS - Loved the illustrations.

27) State of Wonder; Ann Patchett; July 29; 3*
Spoiler?
I really loved the middle of this book. It started slow, but once it got going I looked forward every night to reading about adventures in the jungle. It was a 5* book... and then the ending happened. From a reading standpoint, it's frustrating to have a book come so close to greatness and then... *splat*.

Summer (School) Reading:

28) The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction; Robert Marzano; Aug 9; 3.3*
This book covered a little bit of everything. As someone who isn't familiar with being an educator, I found it useful as an overview. It doesn't go super-in-depth with anything, but it does cover a little bit of everything.

29) Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students; Zaretta Hammond; Aug. 26; 1*
This book may be worse than useless. The author doesn't even use a (remotely) scientifically accurate brain "model," which is kinda the basis of her book. (Seriously, how does this go unnoticed? MacLean's triune brain theory is from the 1960's! Neuroscience left this behind a while ago.) Not to mention the insulting assumptions she makes about all "White" people/ schools/ students/ teachers/ etc. (Hammond = Hypocrite) So far, this is my leading nominee for Worst Book of the Year. At the end of the day, this books is written to do more harm than good.

30) Using Paired Text to Meet the Common Core: Effective Teaching across the K-8 Curriculum; William Bintz; Aug. 27; 3*
This book provides information about how to use paired texts in the classroom -- from (copious) examples to comparison charts and everything in between. I recognize that it's a good book, I just didn't enjoy reading it.

31) Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story; Nora Baskin; Sept 11; 2.7*
The concept was good. Four random middle-schoolers -- "together" at the beginning -- then brought together again at the end due to 9/11. I didn't agree with the author's choice to essentially remove all personal tragedy from the book. And I'm convinced the editor was only paid to spell-check. [Medic, first-responder, EMT are not interchangeable words; there were 2 attacks in NY -- not one (two buildings; two planes; two attacks); that white stuff people were covered in after the fall was dust from the fallen building, not ashes of the dead. Some ash mixed in? Sure. Only ash. Not a chance.]
This is a 9/11 book for, as far as I'm concerned, elementary kids who want to know a little about it without the emotional investment.

32) Towers Falling; Jewell Rhodes; Sept 11; 3.5*
This book was a good examination of 9/11, even though it takes place 15 years later. I disagree with the conclusion of why 9/11 happened. (I'm sure it's what many Americans tell each other and their children, but that doesn't mean I believe it's a correct assumption.)
Other than that, I appreciate that this is both an accessible but emotional and gritty-for-a-5th-grader kind of book. It doesn't try to make light of the situation, and addresses it genuinely without taking any cheap shots. Was it overly dramatic? Yes. Worth reading anyway.

33) Lumberjanes, Vol. 4: Out of Time; Noelle Stevenson et al; Sept. 30; 3.2*
The characters are still fun, and the plot is still interesting, but I didn't love it. The backstory was unexpected, but it felt forced. I just couldn't get into this one. Having said that, I still really enjoy the series. I thought it was interesting (in a good way) that the comic previously introduced a girl-girl romance, but I feel like in every comic they're trying to make some new statement about gender and sexuality. That's great, but I'd really prefer more plot.

34) The Girl Who Drank the Moon; Kelly Barnhill; Oct 8; 4*
With hints of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery and the X-Men relationship between Prof. X and Jean Grey, this book was a fun twist on fairy tales. Witches, magic, dragons, monsters, forests -- they're all here. I enjoyed this book, but I found it a little anticlimactic. The characters and plot were a lot of fun, though. Definitely worth reading.

35) Pax; Sara Pennypacker; Oct 9; 4*
I enjoyed this book because to me it's about facing actions you regret and being determined to right that wrong. Maybe to others it's just about a boy and a fox, or discovering who you are. Maybe we all get something different out of it. I didn't like that it was strikingly obvious the author researched foxes at great lengths, but no so much for PTSD. Sorry. I'm a war veteran, and everyone I served with in Iraq knew whether they preferred peanut butter or jalapeno cheese in their MREs. It was a lot for me to suspend disbelief for that little bit, but I got through it. It was a nice story. The best part is how the author alternated POVs between the boy and the fox. Reading from fox POV was definitely a fun experience. The ending was predictable, but the journey was good.

36) Becoming a Media Mentor: A Guide for Working with Children and Families; Claudia Haines, Cen Campbell & ALSC; Oct 18; 3.7*

Does this book give me everything I need to be a media mentor? No, but it's a great start. I liked the examples in Part II about what other libraries are doing to incorporate technology. Lots of anecdotes and app info. This book is only the beginning, but I think it's headed in the right direction.

36.1) Diary of an AssCan: A Mark Watney Short Story; Andy Weir; Oct 24; 1*

Pointless.
Not interesting enough for people who haven't read the book/ seen the movie/ know what's going on. Doesn't contain any new information for those who have. Incredibly disappointing. I guess it's supposed to be ironic? Botany. Thanksgiving. "I wish there were a way to spend more time on the surface." It's badly executed, but at least it's short.
Read it for yourself:

37) The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones; Rick Riordan; Oct 27; 3.7*
Not perfect, but much better than expected. It has a great beginning scenario, fun characters and enough action to keep me interested. I don't expect to read others in the series, but it's good to know what the fuss is about. Yes, I recognize it doesn't have much depth... but it's fun.
On a side note, after I read the book, I also checked out the corresponding website. It was also better than expected, and I can see how the multi-platform experience appeals to young readers.

38) Skeleton Creek; Patrick Carman; Nov 2; 3*
This multi-platform book requires you to watch videos online at different intervals to gain the full experience. It's an interesting concept, and for someone who sees their smartphone as an extension of their body, this may be the perfect integration of print and technology. For me, it was awkward to stop reading and watch videos, over and over, just to finish the book. The story's plot ideas and characters are fine -- about what I expect for this genre & age group. The acting in the videos is atrocious, but the effects are good. Overall, I applaud the attempt at something new, even if I didn't love it.

39) The Looking Glass War; Frank Beddor; Nov 10; 3.8*
This was an interesting interpretation of the classic, "Alice In Wonderland." Action-heavy with a hint of romance... which suited me fine. Nothing profound, but definitely enjoyable. I look forward to visiting these memorable characters again in other works of this series.

40) The Amanda Project: Invisible I; Melissa Kantor; Nov 15; 1.4*

This is a 300 page (or 8 hour by audiobook) writing prompt. I listened to the book, which was read -- and apparently written -- in "valley." No resolutions, and really not much of a plot. The whole thing hinges on the desire to find a girl named "Amanda," which this book didn't inspire. And just when I thought I couldn't dislike this book any more -- it just ends. If you want an ending -- write it yourself. There's a website for that. Just don't expect the book to supply you with one. I have no idea how this book even got published, other than support from all the product-drops this book contains. I will not be continuing this series, which is just as well, because they stopped their "planned" 8-book series on book 4. (How appropriate that a book with no end belongs to a series that was incapable of finishing.) Do yourself a favor and skip it. All of it.

("Read" via Audiobook)

41) Wild Cards; Simone Elkeles; Nov 20; 2*

Not impressed.
The good news is that there are two romance scenes in this book that are done well. The bad news is everything else. I'm still trying to figure out when it became ok to consider your step-family relationship material. (This step-aunt, step-nephew relationships is a little weird, even for me. Great, they're not blood related, so their children won't come from a shallow gene pool. They're still dating within their family. The whole time, I felt like I was reading incest romance.) As a girl who played football, I find the football-playing-girl scenario completely lacking in authenticity. (Although I do appreciate the attempt.) Lots of cliché characters in this book, that's for sure. But it's teen fiction, so it's (sadly) expected. If you're looking for a book that raises the bar in teen fiction (romance or otherwise), this isn't it.

41.1) Chopsticks; Jessica Anthony; Nov 29; 2*

Disappointing. This actually could have been something. Instead, it was a bad telling of a boring cliché. I appreciate the attempt at using mixed-media to create a "novel," but (to me) it wasn't done well and it just wasn't a good story. There's nothing offensive, but there's nothing inspiring either.

42) The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 3: Squirrel, You Really Got Me Now; Ryan North & Erica Henderson; Dec 12; 3.5*

I'm torn about this one. The first story was only ok, and I was just waiting for it to be over. I also didn't understand some of the conclusion, but perhaps that's just me. However, the second story was a lot of fun, and really made me smile. (So my rating split the difference.) I'm hoping to see more comic collaborations, like the second story, in the future.

Ok. So I didn't make my goal this year. But I spent more time with my family, and that was worth it. :-)

Now, it's time for the 2016 Year End Awards:

Best Graphic Novel: Deep Dark Fears
-- Runners-Up: Squirrel Girl, Vol. 1 & Storm in the Barn
Best Fiction: Morning Star
Best Drama: A Little Life
Best Nonfiction: (comic) Drowned City
Best Middle-School: Crenshaw
-- Runners-Up: Pax & The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Best Teen: The Looking-Glass War
Absolute Worst Book of the Year: Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

Here's my 2017 Book Challenge list:
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