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Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles, #1) in Books
May 22, 2019
Gore heavy police procedural
This is the first book in the Rizzoli and Isles thriller series, apparently there is a TV series based off this but I’ve never seen it so went into this blind. Isles does not appear as a character in this book and even RIzzoli is more of a secondary character.
Catherine Cordell is a skilled surgeon working in Boston where she fled to following a horrific attack two years ago. Although she killed her attacker her exterior confidence hides the continued fear the trauma has instilled in her everyday life. When the impossible seems to occur and the killer returns to stalk her, Detective Moore is determined to protect along with fellow officer Rizzoli.
The villain and what he does is full on terrifying and creepy as hell (just the way I like them.) However if you are in any way squeamish and don’t like a lot of blood and gore you should probably avoid this book. There is a lot of graphic descriptions of injuries of people coming into an emergency room, surgery and torture. Rape is also a central theme and again descriptions can be disturbing so be warned.
This felt like a very solid police procedural book. The style will be familiar with Criminal Minds fans in that you get to see a bit behind the curtain. I didn’t feel there was a lot of puzzling mystery, but you were swept along in the investigation to find the unsub.
My main hope with this series is Rizzoli becomes a bit more human, in this book I just wanted to slap her for being such a cow to both victims and colleagues. Her constant internal moaning about how bad she is treated because she’s a woman made me laugh, it seemed more to be just because she isn’t a very nice person. She doesn't come across as a very good cop at all, poor at doing interviews, following procedure, working as a team. Meanwhile Moore was a much more sympathetic character.
Looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.
Catherine Cordell is a skilled surgeon working in Boston where she fled to following a horrific attack two years ago. Although she killed her attacker her exterior confidence hides the continued fear the trauma has instilled in her everyday life. When the impossible seems to occur and the killer returns to stalk her, Detective Moore is determined to protect along with fellow officer Rizzoli.
The villain and what he does is full on terrifying and creepy as hell (just the way I like them.) However if you are in any way squeamish and don’t like a lot of blood and gore you should probably avoid this book. There is a lot of graphic descriptions of injuries of people coming into an emergency room, surgery and torture. Rape is also a central theme and again descriptions can be disturbing so be warned.
This felt like a very solid police procedural book. The style will be familiar with Criminal Minds fans in that you get to see a bit behind the curtain. I didn’t feel there was a lot of puzzling mystery, but you were swept along in the investigation to find the unsub.
My main hope with this series is Rizzoli becomes a bit more human, in this book I just wanted to slap her for being such a cow to both victims and colleagues. Her constant internal moaning about how bad she is treated because she’s a woman made me laugh, it seemed more to be just because she isn’t a very nice person. She doesn't come across as a very good cop at all, poor at doing interviews, following procedure, working as a team. Meanwhile Moore was a much more sympathetic character.
Looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.
I think I'm becoming quite the Ali Smith fan
I absolutely loved this book. I'm becoming quite a fan, and I think I need to read more of Ali Smith's back catalogue. This novel is witty, current, heartfelt with a full-on family! Ali Smith has a lot of political dross and general misery in the news lately to find material from (unfortunately!), but she does so much good WITH it. In the blurb it says about this book that it's "The season that teaches us survival", and the characters in this certainly do just that.
There is a lot of jumping around in time: things that happened in the past that have a bearing on the presents of the characters, and the occasional toe-dip into their futures too. A lot can happen in the few days over Christmas. We're never quite sure if the mother in this is losing her mind or not (it would be a safe bet to say "yes", but then her son isn't particularly stable during the time period that the book is set in either).
I love the wittiness of Smith's writing. For the Brits reading this, you'll probably get this one straight away, but for everyone else, she's referring to Boris Johnson our current (2018) Foreign Secretary (although I think this would probably apply to any politician, regardless of political party or country! Call me a cynic!): "The man who wrote the dictionary. Johnson. Not Boris. The opposite of Boris. A man interested in the meanings of words, not one whose interests leave words meaningless."
And just a quote to finish with. One that represents both the season that the book is set in, and also one of the main story arcs:
"Cymbeline, he says. The one about poison, mess, bitterness, then the balance coming back. The lies revealed. The losses compensated".
Ali Smiths style can take a bit of getting used to (you'll probably have noticed the lack of speech marks - that's not a mistake on my part, by the way), but her books are so worth the effort.
There is a lot of jumping around in time: things that happened in the past that have a bearing on the presents of the characters, and the occasional toe-dip into their futures too. A lot can happen in the few days over Christmas. We're never quite sure if the mother in this is losing her mind or not (it would be a safe bet to say "yes", but then her son isn't particularly stable during the time period that the book is set in either).
I love the wittiness of Smith's writing. For the Brits reading this, you'll probably get this one straight away, but for everyone else, she's referring to Boris Johnson our current (2018) Foreign Secretary (although I think this would probably apply to any politician, regardless of political party or country! Call me a cynic!): "The man who wrote the dictionary. Johnson. Not Boris. The opposite of Boris. A man interested in the meanings of words, not one whose interests leave words meaningless."
And just a quote to finish with. One that represents both the season that the book is set in, and also one of the main story arcs:
"Cymbeline, he says. The one about poison, mess, bitterness, then the balance coming back. The lies revealed. The losses compensated".
Ali Smiths style can take a bit of getting used to (you'll probably have noticed the lack of speech marks - that's not a mistake on my part, by the way), but her books are so worth the effort.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Michael Jordan: The Life in Books
Feb 13, 2018
I'm a huge Michael Jordan fan, so I was excited to read this book. It was definitely a worthwhile read, especially if you're a basketball, MJ, or Chicago Bulls fan. The level of detail is amazing, and I learned a lot about Michael's early years, especially, as well as some great facts about his college selection process, his first deals with Nike and such. If you're a sports geek, you'll eat this stuff up.
The book picks up speed once Michael joins the Bulls and sort of blows through his Championships. I get it - there are plenty of other reads about those events (including some by Lazenby himself, I believe), but I wouldn't have minded a few more details about some of his years with the Bulls.
If those years go by quickly in the book, his time after the Bulls is really glossed over. For me, that was the one real disappointment of this biography. That's sort of the part of MJ that's such a mystery and it was a little sad not to know more about what he's up to these days. There is, however, some great information about his time with the Wizards organization.
All told, even when some of the years pass by quickly, the book is a worthy read. I think it presents a pretty fair portrait of Jordan. He's recognized as a hero to many, but Lazenby certainly brings in quotes and perspectives from all sides, including those who don't always sing his praises. You learn a lot about MJ's childhood and family make-up and how it created the determined, competitive individual that he is. If you're a fan, there are some quotes that will make you laugh out loud and other passages that will fascinate you. And there are plenty of little tidbits you can trot out at dinner parties... (ok, ok, maybe just with your other sports nerds friends. But there are lots of fun stories and facts throughout the book!)
By the end you'll know a lot about Michael, but still be left wondering a bit. But perhaps that's the key to Jordan all along.
The book picks up speed once Michael joins the Bulls and sort of blows through his Championships. I get it - there are plenty of other reads about those events (including some by Lazenby himself, I believe), but I wouldn't have minded a few more details about some of his years with the Bulls.
If those years go by quickly in the book, his time after the Bulls is really glossed over. For me, that was the one real disappointment of this biography. That's sort of the part of MJ that's such a mystery and it was a little sad not to know more about what he's up to these days. There is, however, some great information about his time with the Wizards organization.
All told, even when some of the years pass by quickly, the book is a worthy read. I think it presents a pretty fair portrait of Jordan. He's recognized as a hero to many, but Lazenby certainly brings in quotes and perspectives from all sides, including those who don't always sing his praises. You learn a lot about MJ's childhood and family make-up and how it created the determined, competitive individual that he is. If you're a fan, there are some quotes that will make you laugh out loud and other passages that will fascinate you. And there are plenty of little tidbits you can trot out at dinner parties... (ok, ok, maybe just with your other sports nerds friends. But there are lots of fun stories and facts throughout the book!)
By the end you'll know a lot about Michael, but still be left wondering a bit. But perhaps that's the key to Jordan all along.
Rikki Hammond (33 KP) rated Room 25 in Tabletop Games
Jun 19, 2019
Loads of game modes (2 more)
Variable difficulty adds to replayability
Hectic fun at higher player counts
No difference in characters (1 more)
Games can be over very quick due to bad luck
A Quick Game, With A Lot To Offer
Despite the appearance, Room 25 is one of those games that has a lot to offer, and can be played pretty much how you want it.
The game is played out over 25 room tiles, which are laid out face down apart from the starting room in the middle, and the basic goal is to make it to the elusive Room 25, somewhere out on the grid, but you have to do it quick, as there is a set number of turns to find it in.
Players will simultaneously choose to do 1 or 2 actions on their turn, and can choose to move into a room, thus revealing it's effect to everyone, push another player into a room, peek at a room, or slide a whole row of rooms in the direction of their choosing (nit including the starting room.)
Rooms are split into 3 colours: Green are safe, and can sometimes help you, yellow are normally traps or hinderances, and red rooms can kill you in one way or another (there's even a room that is instant death if you move into it.) Players have to navigate the rooms using their actions, and hope they don't meet their demise.
There are also varying game modes and difficulties to choose from. Competitive pits everyone against each other, co-operative means everyone is trying to work together, and team mode has two groups trying to outwit the other team. You can also adjust the difficulty by adding or removing more yellow and red rooms (the manual has set layouts for the tiles, but you can also customise as you see fit.)
Room 25 has a lot of replayability, but does suffer from a bit of luck. If there is bad decisions made, you can be eliminated very early on. The characters in the base game, although looking cool, have no differences to them either (which is resolved in the expansion.)
These are minor gripes though, and doesn't stop Room 25 being a fast paced, hectic, but enjoyable game.
The game is played out over 25 room tiles, which are laid out face down apart from the starting room in the middle, and the basic goal is to make it to the elusive Room 25, somewhere out on the grid, but you have to do it quick, as there is a set number of turns to find it in.
Players will simultaneously choose to do 1 or 2 actions on their turn, and can choose to move into a room, thus revealing it's effect to everyone, push another player into a room, peek at a room, or slide a whole row of rooms in the direction of their choosing (nit including the starting room.)
Rooms are split into 3 colours: Green are safe, and can sometimes help you, yellow are normally traps or hinderances, and red rooms can kill you in one way or another (there's even a room that is instant death if you move into it.) Players have to navigate the rooms using their actions, and hope they don't meet their demise.
There are also varying game modes and difficulties to choose from. Competitive pits everyone against each other, co-operative means everyone is trying to work together, and team mode has two groups trying to outwit the other team. You can also adjust the difficulty by adding or removing more yellow and red rooms (the manual has set layouts for the tiles, but you can also customise as you see fit.)
Room 25 has a lot of replayability, but does suffer from a bit of luck. If there is bad decisions made, you can be eliminated very early on. The characters in the base game, although looking cool, have no differences to them either (which is resolved in the expansion.)
These are minor gripes though, and doesn't stop Room 25 being a fast paced, hectic, but enjoyable game.
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Home and Heart in Books
Jan 7, 2019
so much sex!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
For the most part, I DID enjoy this. Mostly.
I will always say I like my male/male books on the more explicit side, and I will make no apologies for that. More sexy time is always better for me, SO LONG as the story can carry it. However, HERE, I found that while there is a lot of sex, it's not carried well by the story. What is here is good, and it's well written and super sexy, but I just felt the overall story gets lost somewhere along the way.
Sawyer's husband died 6 years ago, and he took to the bottle to literally drown his sorrows. Now, he's sober and ups and moves clear across the country for a new start. That there are three guys in the building with a friends with benefit type arrangement, helps Sawyer a lot.
The type of relationship Sawyer had with his husband, the depth of that, creeps out slowly, as does the depth of the relationship between Benny and Luke, and I did like that. I LOVED that Luke and Benny were well established and Derek their sometime third. LOVED that Luke saw that Sawyer was a sub, very quickly, and that he began teaching Derek to be Sawyer's Dom. Loved that Derek didn't even KNOW he wanted to be a Dom, before Sawyer. I loved that once in, Derek was adamant that Sawyer was HIS and HIS alone and HE would be the one to give Sawyer what he needed, even if Derek wasn't keen on whatever that might be.
So, what is here is great, brilliant and all that but I just felt the STORY, Sawyer's story, about moving across the country for a new start, coming out of his shell, was lost in all that, very well written and delivered, sex.
And if I say there is too much sex, you gotta know there is a lot!
All four guys do get a say, and I did finish it in one sitting. Enjoyable enough for that so
3 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
For the most part, I DID enjoy this. Mostly.
I will always say I like my male/male books on the more explicit side, and I will make no apologies for that. More sexy time is always better for me, SO LONG as the story can carry it. However, HERE, I found that while there is a lot of sex, it's not carried well by the story. What is here is good, and it's well written and super sexy, but I just felt the overall story gets lost somewhere along the way.
Sawyer's husband died 6 years ago, and he took to the bottle to literally drown his sorrows. Now, he's sober and ups and moves clear across the country for a new start. That there are three guys in the building with a friends with benefit type arrangement, helps Sawyer a lot.
The type of relationship Sawyer had with his husband, the depth of that, creeps out slowly, as does the depth of the relationship between Benny and Luke, and I did like that. I LOVED that Luke and Benny were well established and Derek their sometime third. LOVED that Luke saw that Sawyer was a sub, very quickly, and that he began teaching Derek to be Sawyer's Dom. Loved that Derek didn't even KNOW he wanted to be a Dom, before Sawyer. I loved that once in, Derek was adamant that Sawyer was HIS and HIS alone and HE would be the one to give Sawyer what he needed, even if Derek wasn't keen on whatever that might be.
So, what is here is great, brilliant and all that but I just felt the STORY, Sawyer's story, about moving across the country for a new start, coming out of his shell, was lost in all that, very well written and delivered, sex.
And if I say there is too much sex, you gotta know there is a lot!
All four guys do get a say, and I did finish it in one sitting. Enjoyable enough for that so
3 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Darius the Great is Not Okay in Books
Dec 25, 2018
This novel got a lot of hype before and after its release - and it deserves it. It has great minority representation, from Persian (and bi-racial!) to Zoroastrian and Baha'i, to clinical depression and male friendship. You could also read gay and/or asexual into it, but that's not explicitly mentioned. Romantic love is just never addressed; perhaps because the story just doesn't involve it, but you could definitely read the main character as ace.
Darius is a great main character. He's funny, self-deprecating, and complex. He has clinical depression, is medicated for it, and can sometimes tell when it's the depression making him think a certain way, but sometimes he can't. He's biracial, visiting Iran and his mother's Persian family for the first time, and adjusting to Persian social norms and traditions while trying not to lose sight of his American life. His connection with his father is tenuous and fraught with miscommunication, and lot of the book is spent wrestling with that relationship. His new friend, Sohrab, is a great foil to that, as his father is completely absent from his life, having been arrested and thrown in jail prior to the start of the story, largely for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and being part of a minority religion.
There are so many small things touched on this book - suspicion at customs when flying through, bullying at school for being Persian, not speaking his family's language because his mother didn't teach it to him (and feeling cut off because of it) - all little things that a lot of immigrant children deal with.
Aside from the cultural things the book addresses, there's also the mental health aspect. Both Darius and his father have clinical depression, and there's stigma attached to having the diagnosis, and to taking pills for it. We see how their mental states affects their relationship with each other and with the rest of their family, and it's quite powerful. The author talks about having clinical depression in an afterword, and includes some resources that helped him. This is an #ownvoices novel in more ways than one, and it really shows. Excellent book.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Darius is a great main character. He's funny, self-deprecating, and complex. He has clinical depression, is medicated for it, and can sometimes tell when it's the depression making him think a certain way, but sometimes he can't. He's biracial, visiting Iran and his mother's Persian family for the first time, and adjusting to Persian social norms and traditions while trying not to lose sight of his American life. His connection with his father is tenuous and fraught with miscommunication, and lot of the book is spent wrestling with that relationship. His new friend, Sohrab, is a great foil to that, as his father is completely absent from his life, having been arrested and thrown in jail prior to the start of the story, largely for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and being part of a minority religion.
There are so many small things touched on this book - suspicion at customs when flying through, bullying at school for being Persian, not speaking his family's language because his mother didn't teach it to him (and feeling cut off because of it) - all little things that a lot of immigrant children deal with.
Aside from the cultural things the book addresses, there's also the mental health aspect. Both Darius and his father have clinical depression, and there's stigma attached to having the diagnosis, and to taking pills for it. We see how their mental states affects their relationship with each other and with the rest of their family, and it's quite powerful. The author talks about having clinical depression in an afterword, and includes some resources that helped him. This is an #ownvoices novel in more ways than one, and it really shows. Excellent book.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Mine for Tonight in Books
Nov 3, 2019
Nothing says sexy like a brooding billionaire. I mean, in a world of car payments, nine-to-five nightmares, and student loans hanging over people’s heads like spiders on their bedroom ceilings, it can be a lot of fun to daydream about a billionaire lover who will take it all away. Unfortunately, a lot of them are really bad, like Fifty Shades of Writing So Bad I Want All The Characters to Spontaneously Combust. The damsel in distress routine can also be sadly lacking plot and character development, like in The Doctor’s Slave. However, Mine for Tonight is definitely one of the good ones.
I have to admit, I picked this book up because the heroine’s name is Kara. I mean, how perfect is that, right? And I really liked this book. It was difficult for me to not get a little creeped out by Simon. Like, what stable-minded person follows someone around for over a year without even meeting her? I know he’s more like a guardian angel wanting to protect her and less like a stalker wanting to kill her, but really. There’s a difference between socially awkward and asking for a restraining order. But I loved how much he cares for Kara. Even though he’s a private person, he’s willing to open up his home to her without payment. (Yes, he does ask her to sleep with him, but he makes it pretty clear that that part is optional.) He’s definitely damaged, as is Kara. She’s struggling with a lot of things, like her last relationship which crashed and burned, and her parents’ deaths. Being stuck in nickel and dime mode after years of supporting herself makes it hard for Kara to accept Simon’s help, especially when he likes to spoil her. Her inability to stay indebted was why Simon gave her the sex payment option to begin with, although she ended up taking it because she wanted it. I really liked how hard-working she was. She’s not a traditional damsel in distress to be sure, and she keeps her independence even after Simon takes her in. Long story short, it didn’t take me long to buy the entire series.
I have to admit, I picked this book up because the heroine’s name is Kara. I mean, how perfect is that, right? And I really liked this book. It was difficult for me to not get a little creeped out by Simon. Like, what stable-minded person follows someone around for over a year without even meeting her? I know he’s more like a guardian angel wanting to protect her and less like a stalker wanting to kill her, but really. There’s a difference between socially awkward and asking for a restraining order. But I loved how much he cares for Kara. Even though he’s a private person, he’s willing to open up his home to her without payment. (Yes, he does ask her to sleep with him, but he makes it pretty clear that that part is optional.) He’s definitely damaged, as is Kara. She’s struggling with a lot of things, like her last relationship which crashed and burned, and her parents’ deaths. Being stuck in nickel and dime mode after years of supporting herself makes it hard for Kara to accept Simon’s help, especially when he likes to spoil her. Her inability to stay indebted was why Simon gave her the sex payment option to begin with, although she ended up taking it because she wanted it. I really liked how hard-working she was. She’s not a traditional damsel in distress to be sure, and she keeps her independence even after Simon takes her in. Long story short, it didn’t take me long to buy the entire series.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Ashes (Ashes Trilogy, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Remember in my Moon Dwellers review that I mentioned to get straight to the point or you stall really well? It has to turn out impressive as well.
Well, here's a really good example of one. Ashes doesn't go straight to the point until the end, as pointed out by one of my friends (in which I nearly pounced on her in English class for nearly spoiling the book), and well... – I might offend a lot of people (and I really do mean a lot that they might want my head on a platter), so if you can get offended easily by a delicate (and I mean very delicate) subject, don't click that button. Just don't.
[BUTTON REMOVED IN THIS REVIEW]
But... I also had half the mind on DNF-ing, because Ellie was really annoying and she was getting on my nerves for about a fifth of the book. If there's a character (aside from little kid me, but I'm not a character) I wanted to shake every step of the way, it's her.
Going back to the stalling talk, Bick uses page turning tactics as a distraction, and it was a really good distraction, because there's always something happening and I couldn't see the big picture until later... way later. After it was pointed out (thanks a lot, mentioned anonymous friend from above). -_-
I still don't really see how the title goes with the story. Ashes? I'm curious if that's related to what happens early in the story. Inquiring bloggers would like to know.
Here's another spoiler: I won't be surprised if Tom returns in Shadows or Monsters. It's pretty obvious.
To finish it off, Ashes was action packed, but if you get scared easily or are faint of heart, then this book is not for you. It's really creepy. *makes a face*
I also lost my appetite. :(
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Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/review-ashes-by-ilsa-j-bick.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://p.gr-assets.com/540x540/fit/hostedimages/1389978389/8118236.png"; /></a>
Well, here's a really good example of one. Ashes doesn't go straight to the point until the end, as pointed out by one of my friends (in which I nearly pounced on her in English class for nearly spoiling the book), and well... – I might offend a lot of people (and I really do mean a lot that they might want my head on a platter), so if you can get offended easily by a delicate (and I mean very delicate) subject, don't click that button. Just don't.
[BUTTON REMOVED IN THIS REVIEW]
But... I also had half the mind on DNF-ing, because Ellie was really annoying and she was getting on my nerves for about a fifth of the book. If there's a character (aside from little kid me, but I'm not a character) I wanted to shake every step of the way, it's her.
Going back to the stalling talk, Bick uses page turning tactics as a distraction, and it was a really good distraction, because there's always something happening and I couldn't see the big picture until later... way later. After it was pointed out (thanks a lot, mentioned anonymous friend from above). -_-
I still don't really see how the title goes with the story. Ashes? I'm curious if that's related to what happens early in the story. Inquiring bloggers would like to know.
Here's another spoiler: I won't be surprised if Tom returns in Shadows or Monsters. It's pretty obvious.
To finish it off, Ashes was action packed, but if you get scared easily or are faint of heart, then this book is not for you. It's really creepy. *makes a face*
I also lost my appetite. :(
---------------------
Formatting may be lost due to copy and paste
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/review-ashes-by-ilsa-j-bick.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://p.gr-assets.com/540x540/fit/hostedimages/1389978389/8118236.png"; /></a>
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Twenty-One Truths About Love in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Dan Mayrock is an obsessive list maker who has quit his job as a teacher and opened a bookstore. But now he's in financial trouble and afraid to tell his wife, Jill. Jill was previously married and Dan feels he can never quite live up to Jill's late husband. And then, Jill gets pregnant. Now Dan feels even more pressure to be the best he can be for Jill.
The shtick of this book is that it's told entirely in list form. No dialogue, no narrative, nothing. Just lists. It did wear a little thin at times, but it was an interesting way to learn about someone's life. You learn about Dan's finances, feelings, and amazingly, a lot about his past.
For me, what really got me about this book is that I just couldn't warm to Dan. I think most people find this book heartwarming and cute, but I found him--and it--annoying and whiny. He doesn't want to tell his wife about his financial problems with the store, so he concocts some ridiculous scheme to "help" the family instead. It was just too much for me. Man up, tell your wife, and take responsibility for your actions. I didn't find it cute, and if I was his wife, I would have kicked him to the curb.
It's a shame, because a lot of the book was filled with really funny and spot-on observations about life. I especially loved Dan's ruminations on teaching and meetings. They were incredibly true to life. There are a lot of humorous and touching moments in this book, but I could never really push past the fact that he was a spineless liar.
"'Let's start off with an icebreaker' are words no human being has ever wanted to hear."
Overall, I enjoyed pieces of this book, but found myself skimming others. I liked the idea of it, but could never warm to Dan and since the whole book was his lists and life, it was hard to enjoy without liking him. I need a book from the POV of his older Bingo buddy, Bill. Now he was a cool dude.
The shtick of this book is that it's told entirely in list form. No dialogue, no narrative, nothing. Just lists. It did wear a little thin at times, but it was an interesting way to learn about someone's life. You learn about Dan's finances, feelings, and amazingly, a lot about his past.
For me, what really got me about this book is that I just couldn't warm to Dan. I think most people find this book heartwarming and cute, but I found him--and it--annoying and whiny. He doesn't want to tell his wife about his financial problems with the store, so he concocts some ridiculous scheme to "help" the family instead. It was just too much for me. Man up, tell your wife, and take responsibility for your actions. I didn't find it cute, and if I was his wife, I would have kicked him to the curb.
It's a shame, because a lot of the book was filled with really funny and spot-on observations about life. I especially loved Dan's ruminations on teaching and meetings. They were incredibly true to life. There are a lot of humorous and touching moments in this book, but I could never really push past the fact that he was a spineless liar.
"'Let's start off with an icebreaker' are words no human being has ever wanted to hear."
Overall, I enjoyed pieces of this book, but found myself skimming others. I liked the idea of it, but could never warm to Dan and since the whole book was his lists and life, it was hard to enjoy without liking him. I need a book from the POV of his older Bingo buddy, Bill. Now he was a cool dude.
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