A Visit from the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan

A Visit from the Goon Squad is about the passage of time and its effects on Sasha and Bennie, the two protagonists. The plot jumps between Benny and Sasha, showing them first as their present day selves, then delving into their pasts to explore how they got to their current situation, and finally progressing with them through their lives. The reader is introduced to a host of characters, who may seem trivial at first, but all come back to play a role in the protagonists' lives later on. In this way, Egan's book can only be described as a literal interpretation of life itself in its most raw and basic form.

My compliments to Jennifer Egan for writing truly remarkable book. Although the beginning was a little confusing, I soon adjusted to and came to enjoy her unique writing style. The book was very engaging and every character brought a new dynamic to the story. My favorite chapter would have to be the one written in slide journal, and intriguing concept that I've never come across before but, in my opinion, a very effective one. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone, and even TIME magazine agrees with me: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1997438,00.html

Shamra Divided - Barry Hoffman

Shamra Divided follows the tale of the ancient Shamra civilization and specifically the generations of the ruling family. The Shamra have survived through many hardships but each one has taken a toll on the people. Dara, the headstrong protagonist, has been prophesized as the only hope they have for further survival. The Shamra's greatests enemy, Chaos, is after them again, and only Dara has the tools to defeat him. The time period moves between the past and the present as Briana, Dara's friend, tells her about the history of her family. Shamra Divided is the second book in the Shamra Chronicles.

This book was definitely a very easy and enjoyable read. The writing was engaging and the plot line itself was fascinating. I have not read the first book of the series, so I was apprehensive as to whether I would be able to follow the story, but I was pleasantly surprised. While allusions were made to the first book, they were not so intricately woven in that I could not understand the story. The underlying threads of feminism were very pleasing to my ideals, so thank you Barry Hoffman for that. My only complaints are that it was sometimes hard to keep all the characters straight, and I really don't like the cover art, it seems juvenile compared to the content of the book.

Note: This book was sent to me by the author for review through the third party Bostick Communications.

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

I realize this book is a classic, but I decided to post a review anyway, in case anyone was interested.

Of Mice and Men follows the journey of two friends, George and Lennie, as they attempt to fulfill their American dream of owning their own land. George and Lennie work as temporary farmhands who move from ranch to ranch as they look for work. Lennie, who is not intelligent, sometimes complicates the process by getting them into trouble, but rather than abandon him, George sticks up for him and protects him. Just when George and Lennie are the closest they've ever been, a tragedy interrupts their plans. You'll have to read the book to find out what it is!

I have read Steinbeck before and so am familiar with his writing style, but this book is one of my favorites. Steinbeck has an ability to capture a grand story in a short book, something I admire very much. Again, this book is a very short read and a great introduction for the beginning classics reader and a great break for the practiced one.

Hanging By The Thread - Donald B. Anderson

Hanging by the Thread is a suspense thriller that follows five friends as they attempt to save the United States from the evil intentions of a secret society known as The Thread. Along the way, readers are treated to lessons in history and economics, courtesy of Dr. Isaacson, a professor at Brigham Young University.

As I strive to be honest in my reviews, I have to say that I did not enjoy this book. The writing was amateur and did not keep my attention. The message, while intended to be inspirational, was laced with right-wing propaganda. The writer seemed to be saying that anyone who supported any sort of economic regulation might as well become part of The Thread, as they were committing grave crimes against America. Although I am not opposed to religion in books, the way that Christianity was brought up again and again did annoy me a bit and diverted my attention from the plot line. I might have enjoyed this book had the writing contained more depth, the message not been so biased, and the plot not been so muddled.

Note: This book was sent to me by the author for review through the third party Bostick Communications.

Green Pieces: Green From the Pond Up - Drew Aquilina

Green Pieces is a collection of cartoons about the inhabitants of a typical pond. The main characters are Iggy, a claustrophobic turtle, Radic, an annoying bug, Cabby, an intelligent frog, and Roc, a scavenging raccoon. The book is divided into four sections, one for each of the seasons. The main theme of the book is the effect of human interferance on nature, but from nature's perspective rather than man's.

This book is a great way to educate the public, especially children, about the importance of protecting nature rather than harming it. The characters are lovable and hilarious, and you really start to sympathize with their plights after a while. But rather than preaching, Aquilina spreads his message with humor, a much better method in my opinion. My favorite cartoon was when the characters were being sued for not wearing clothes. A close second was Cabby's numerous attempts to outsmart NASA. My only complaint was that it was sometimes difficult to distinguish when one cartoon was ending and another was beginning, but as they were all related, it didn't prove to be that big of a problem. I would definitely recommend parents to buy this book for their children and teacher to buy it for their classrooms.

Note: This book was sent to me by the author to review through the third party Bostick Communications.

Making A Family Home - Shannon Honeybloom

Making A Family Home is a guidebook to creating an inspirational home, one that brings warmth and comfort to its inhabitants and guests. The book focuses on each specific area of a home, such as the kitchen, bathroom, fireplace, bedroom, etc., and the characteristics of that place. These characteristics define how the room should be decorated in order to maximize its effectiveness. Honeybloom places special emphasis on children and the kind of environment they need to foster healthy development. She not only considers sight, but texture, smell, and harmony when advising her readers.

Although I was not expecting this book to be particularly riveting, I was pleasantly surprised. As a high schooler, I do not have a family, so I didn't think this book was going to be important to me. I was proved wrong as soon as I started reading. Honeybloom doesn't just talk about the elements of a house, but the effect of these elements on her family, something that I had never really considered before. The best way to describe this book would be a parenting book for the homemaker. I also loved the photographs, and my compliments to Skip Hunt, the photographer. I would definately recommend this book to anyone who has kids, or wants to learn about the way our environment affects our well-being.

"Creating a home is a process of imbuing our space with soul and spirit, surrounding our family with love, care, comfort." - Shannon Honeybloom, Making A Family Home

Note: This book was sent to me by the author for review through the third party Bostick Communications.

Absurdistan - Gary Shteyngart

Absurdistan tells the tale of one Misha Vainberg, a wealthy Russian who's purpose in life is to move to the United States. He is unable to do so because his father, known as "Beloved Papa" for most of the book, killed a businessman from Oklahoma, and the US government refuses to let Misha into the country because of his father's criminal history. Determined to somehow gain admittance to America, Misha decides to first become a European citizen, a Belgian to be exact, because he believes it will be easier to become an American citizen once he is a citizen of the EU. His quest leads him to Absurdistan, a small country close to Iran, on the Caspian Sea. There he finds out about the ongoing civil war between the country's two factions, the Sevo and the Svani. The main difference between the two groups is the direction in which "Christ's footrest" is placed on the traditional Christian cross. (This will be easier to understand if you actually read the book.) Misha then sets out to help the Sevo and Svani settle their differences and find peace again. I'll have to stop here so as not to give the ending away.


Let me start by saying that Absurdistan is one of the most bizarre books I have ever read. The writing is very frank and sharp, but also very funny. The tone is satirical and sarcastic, which threw me off at first, but I began to enjoy it more as I continued reading. The only real complaint I had was the amount of sexual references. In my opinion, there were far too many. I understand that they can sometimes provide comedic relief, but I found myself getting annoyed by them, especially at the beginning of the book, when they seemed to have no relevance. Other than that, this book was very amusing and an entertaining read to say the least.


Warning: I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 16. It can be very graphic at times and some of the material is rather mature.