Tag: book review

Book Review: Bats of the Republic

Posted on by Shawshank

Hey hey book nerds! Long time no reading. Yeah, I went through a bit of a reading slump as of late. But thanks to BossLady being gone, and harvest here, it’s pretty slow at work. So I ran home and grabbed my book.

Let me first say that this is a gorgeous book. When it finally arrived, I quickly flipped through it while on a video call with Crystal – she’s the one that thought that I’d like it, she knows my tastes so well. I loved it on first sight.

Bats of the Republic by Zachary Thomas Dodson is an amazing book. Essentially, there’s two stories – the first one is set in the Republic of Texas in the year 2143, and the second in 1843. These two stories are intertwined.

I don’t want to give too much away – but I will mention an envelope in the back of the book that says DO NOT OPEN. I had finished the book, and was still uncertain if I should open it.

I’m glad that I did. What a great book – I think I understand it. But you know what’s great about books? If you don’t understand a part in it, you can go back and reread it.

I definitely plan to reread this beautiful amazing book.

Until next time, book nerds!

Book review – Orange is the New Black

Posted on by Shawshank

Hello book nerds! This is gonna be a quick review on Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. Let’s just say that this book pretty much just shares the name with the tv show.

It’s a 295 page book, that some how got stretched into a 7 season tv show. How they did that, I have no idea. The book basically captures what it’s like to be in prison. Mostly about the spoken and unspoken rules within the walls.

Some basic plot points exist between the two, however, the book is so much more condensed that the show.

It was a very very quick read. Even with only reading an hour or so each night it only took two or three days to finish it.

I already knew the basic ending because I hit that part in the show. I’m only on season 3 but that’s pretty well where the book ends. The book for the most part really feels rushed. Even at the beginning it felt really condensed.

If you like the show, that’s great. But I’d recommend that you read the book before you watch the show.

All in all, the book is simply ok. A good read, but not a stellar one.

Book review – The Strange Library

Posted on by Shawshank

Hey hey book nerds! Now it’s been a while since I’ve hosted a book review. I usually just talk a book to death in the book club. Crystal got me this cool book – The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami for my birthday. It’s really to short to break up for Book Club, so I figure that it would be better just to do a quick review of it instead.

Clocking in at 96 pages, I knew it was going to be a quick read, and boy was I right. I think it took me about a half hour to 45 minutes to read. I went into this book not knowing what was going to happen. What a wild ride.

This is supposed to be a children’s story? What a dark story for a kid. But maybe Japanese children are better prepared for this type of story.

Suffice it to say, I loved it. It was easy to follow, and even with 96 pages, Haruki really paints a rich full world in his book. You’re thrown right into the middle of it – right from the first page, seriously.

So, book nerds, if you see this book – buy it! You won’t be disappointed. I really really enjoyed it so much.

Book club – The Arctic Fury

Posted on by Shawshank

Well hello, book nerds! How’re y’all doing this fine, and cold day? I’m doing pretty good, just got back from trying to get gas from the only gas station within 30 minutes. They were closed for inventory. So, no gas. I’ll have to get it tomorrow.

Anyways, we’re not here to talk about the gas situation here in TinyTown, we’re here to talk about books! Specifically, The Arctic Fury. I finished it last night. I still don’t know how I feel about the ending. It felt really rushed. I mean there was only 2 ways for it to end. Alive or dead. I don’t know which would’ve been better for the book.

The premise is great – a group of women being sent to the Arctic to find Lady Franklins husband, and his lost expedition. The adventure that follows, will change the lives of these women forever.

Aside from the lacklustre ending, the parts that I really liked was the flashbacks from their trip into the Arctic. The courtroom “scenes” were ok. I don’t know if the lawyer was a public defender or whatever the 1850s version of that, but it was very tropey of the whole lawyer not doing anything.

I think it was a flawed book with a really good premise. I hesitate to read anything else from the author. But in the future, I’ll try and keep an open mind. So yeah, just rereading this, I guess this counts as a book review as well!

Since it’s now February, it’s time for another book for this months Book Club. After wading through the two comments that I got, I’ve decided on…

Wait for it…

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth.

I can’t wait to crack open this book and get sucked in! Until next time, book nerds!!