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Seriously... I'm Kidding
Seriously... I'm Kidding
Ellen DeGeneres | 2013 | Biography
8
7.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
As part of Pride Month, I'm spotlighting books by or about GLBTQIA+ people. Ellen is one of the most prominent lesbians here in the US, between coming out on a sitcom, having her own daytime talk show, and her judging stint on American Idol. This is her third book, but the first one I've read. If the other two are like this one, I need to read them!

Seriously...I'm Kidding is a really funny book. It reads a little bit like an ADHD squirrel, but that's part of its charm. I read the print version, but this is one book I might have to get the audio version of, mostly because of the one chapter she wrote specifically for the audio version:

"Anyway, since you have the benefit of being able to hear this, I thought I would include some bonus material of me making strange noises. For those of you who are reading this the old-fashioned way and can't hear me, I've printed the noises below and I encourage you to use your imagination to think of what they might sound like coming out of my mouth.

Meeeeee
Faaaaaa
Cooooo
Gooooood Morning
Bowwwww
Babowwwww
Yelowwwww
(more strange noises listed)"

The book covers a lot of ground, from producing her show to judging on American Idol to coming out as lesbian to hosting dinner parties. It also varies wildly chapter to chapter, from brief short stories (less than a page) to haiku, to coloring book pages of odd things like toasters, to prose, wandering chapters that are an interesting look at Ellen's thought process.

I really enjoyed this book, and it's definitely worth reading because it's just FUN.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children #1)
Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children #1)
L.J. Epps | 2016 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Gripping (0 more)
Didn't realise it was part of a series (0 more)
I loved this book but didn't realise it was part of a series. I like to have a few books in the series so I can go straight onto the next book if I was as gripped as I was with this book.
I wouldn't normally read this genre but it sounded similar to the hunger games and I really enjoyed those films.
The book gripped me from the first chapter and it got better and better and I couldn't put this down. There were a few mistakes and a few lines that didn't make sense when read as a word was missing but it didn't affect the book at all.
This book made me really invest in the main character. I agreed with her at all stages in the book and I was so invested in her to succeed. I like a book where I am 'in' the book and actually feel like I am part of it.
In my opinion this book is aimed at late teenagers - early teens.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
  
The Dark Net
The Dark Net
Jamie Bartlett | 2016 | Biography
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Eye-opening!
For those who don’t know, the dark net is hidden seedier internet just below the regular surface internet. In this work of non-fiction, Bartlett explores the dark net’s various elusive and somewhat criminal goings-on; often going out of his way in the name of research.


The book kicks off with a dramatic introduction, talking about the Assassination Market. The assassination market is basically an online list of names and dates. Participants bet on what date an individual on the list will die. If a bet is correctly “guessed”, the winner walks away with all the winnings. Unfortunately, this was the shortest chapter and had the least amount of research made evident.


The drama continues in the following chapter which is about trolling, however this chapter read like a history book, and didn’t live up to the precedent set in the introduction. Shortly afterward though, Bartlett goes on to talk about one-man political parties, who set up several accounts on several sites to get their propaganda trending.


Later on Bartlett journeys into the strange real world community of Calafou. Here he meets cypherpunks and explains the crypto-currency Bitcoin to the reader. This unfortunately was another rather drab chapter.


The shortest chapter following the introduction was entitled “Three clicks”, which was named so when the author tried to find out how long it would take him to find child porn using free software known as “The Onion Router” and the “Hidden Wiki”. (Of course the author reported it to the police.)

There’s also a chapter on pro-anorexia and pro-self-harm sites.


And when I said the author often went out of his way in the name of research, I wasn’t kidding! The author went on the online “Silk Road” to purchase a very small amount of marijuana! And later still Bartlett is in the actual bedroom of a webcam star as she performs a rude show with 3 other women!

 
Reading a book on the dark net is the closest I’m ever going to get to actually using the dark net, so I wanted a lot from this book. I learned that the dark net would be pretty easy to navigate if I really wanted to use it. That said there was nothing in the book that would entice me to do anything that might involve covering my tracks.


So although there were a couple of chapters that were unnecessarily long, the other chapters definitely made up for it! Aside from the lack of detail on the Assassination Market, the remainder of the book appears well researched, with a lot of face to face and online meetings between the author and the people in the know.
  
It was a light-hearted crime book (0 more)
It seemed like the book was for a younger audience. (0 more)
I enjoyed this book. Even though it was a crime book with a murder it was also quite light-hearted.
It was definitely different to the normal crime books I read but it was still enjoyable.
I was gripped from the first chapter and once I got into it I couldn't put it down. There was just something about it that I couldn't put down. There was also a romantic story running alongside the murder.
The author kept me reading and it was written in a nice style.
I connected with the characters...mainly the main character. I got a sense of who she was and who she became towards the end of the book. She definitely grew as a person.
The book was intended for late teens to late 20's.
The blurb made me interested and the book lived up to it. The book didn't turn out as I thought it would after reading the blurb.
I would purchase the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
  
DNF'd at chapter 15.

Oh my god this book. It really had good premise and did like that the female lead was srong enough to stand up fr herself at points but the fact that she easily backed out of that strength and easily forgave bugged me. I also didnt feel a connection between the couple.

All in all a major disappoinment for me.
  
Why Mummy Swears
Why Mummy Swears
Gill Sims | 2018 | Children, Humor & Comedy
8
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
It was really easy to get into. Didn't want to put it down (0 more)
So true
Sequel to why mummy swears. It's like the author has been into my house and wrote the book on my family. Not that I swear that much. I found it really easy to get into and it was hard to put down, I just kept thinking 1 more chapter.
  
40x40

Chelsea (166 KP) rated Cross Her Heart in Books

Oct 24, 2018 (Updated Oct 24, 2018)  
Cross Her Heart
Cross Her Heart
Sarah Pinborough | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
8
6.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
I got through this book in three days- it’s seriously hard to put down! Lisa seems to live a simple life with her daughter, Ava, even if she is a little overprotective and cautious. Soon we find out why and what follows is a thrilling, crazy ride! The perspective changes with each chapter so you get to know background on everyone and what they’re thinking. Great read!
  
The Other Mother
The Other Mother
Carol Goodman | 2018 | Mystery, Thriller
10
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hands down this was the best Giveaway I’ve won from Goodreads. Goodman’s writing allows you to lose yourself in the characters from the very first chapter. I had a hard time putting the book down once I picked it up. I was questioning my own sense of truth as I read more and more trying to decide what was real and what wasn’t. I loved this.