August Book Reviews
August 2023 Reviews
Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I heard about this book randomly and decided to pick it up. I loved it!
Red didn't fit in with what the other crayons expected until one crayon noticed that he was better at other things that weren't in the list of expectations. What a great way to teach children that we all have different talents and just because others think they should be good at something, it doesn't mean they are good at it. They have other things to excel at!
I definitely recommend this book.
The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved the concept of this book from the beginning. Chaucer's Good Wife of Bath was such an interesting character, and I was thrilled to find that there was a book that expanded on her life.
The author did a great job keeping to the basic ideas of the original story. There were still surprises in the story, but they worked to allow the original character shine through. I did enjoy the discussion in the book about if Chaucer's words were satire or how he really felt.
I definitely would recommend this book, but it does use a lot of the original language used in the original story, and because I had recently read it for school, I already knew them. Once I got back into it, I found it wonderful.
Carville-by-the-Sea: San Francisco's Streetcar Suburb by Woody LaBounty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Great history of a part of San Francisco that is rarely written about.
I wasn't so thrilled with the layout or the spacing of the words. The pictures were great, and so were the captions. I think that the history should have been written out in a way that the print was easier to read. I understand that a lot of the reasoning for the unusual spacing was for making room for photographs, but it could have been made easier to read with a different font or larger type.
I do recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of San Francisco.
The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I picked this up for bookclub. It was listed as a classic, but I don't really understand what was classic about it, other than it being old.
This book really didn't age well. I felt like I was struggling to figure out what was going on the entire time. If I wasn't reading it for bookclub, I wouldn't have bothered to finish it.
Plus, I listed to it on audio and the narrator was so dull. I think that he was bored by the story, also.
I don't recommend this book, since it was dull and not pertinent to modern times.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked this up for bookclub. I didn't end up going to the bookclub, so I never really got a chance to discuss it.
I didn't find this one as humorous as other books by the author, but it was still a good book. It kept my attention for the most part.
I would recommend this book.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked this up on a whim. I loved that it revolved around women in STEM. Smart women can have romances, too.
The bonus chapter at the end showed part of the book from the male love interest's point of view. Very interesting take on it. I am glad that the book didn't alternate POV, since it would have given away a lot of the story. The reader was better off being in the dark, just like the main character was.
This was a fun read. I would recommend it.
Yonah The Yeti - 雪人乔纳: Bilingual Children's Picture Book in English and Chinese - Learning Chinese for kids. Suitable for kindergarten, elementary school and at home! by Ingo Blum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I got this book in order to write an honest review.
The disclaimer at the beginning warns that it isn't a direct translation between English and Chinese, but it's the same story. I did notice a couple of grammatical errors in English, but, since I don't read Chinese, I can't comment on the accuracy in Chinese.
This was a story of two friends who figure out how to help others. It was a good story and I would recommend it.
Howl-O-Ween Hijinks (The Everyday Adventures of Papa & Paws by Papa Paws
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I got this book in order to write an honest review.
I loved the illustrations and the story was adorable. It would make a great Halloween bedtime story for little ones, since it isn't too scary.
I highly recommend this book.
The Chocolate Tree by Dina Gregory
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked this up as a freebie, just because.
It was an interesting story about not everything being as it seems. It might make a good bedtime story for an older child, but would just confuse a younger one.
I wouldn't recommend it for a young child, but it is fine for an older child or adult.
JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS - 40x40: Bad Reputation/I Love Rock 'n' Roll Standard Hardcover by Amanda Deibert Various Including
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I saw this advertised for a long time, so I had to pick up a copy.
It was very much not what I was expecting. There didn't seem to be a point to it. Just random stories roughly based on songs from the albums.
I wouldn't recommend this book. It was kind of pointless.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read this after multiple people recommended it to me. I had the book for a long time before finally picking it up.
I truly enjoyed the book! The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that I was really not terribly familiar with New York and all of it's neighborhoods, and the book assumes that the reader has this knowledge.
I would recommend this book! It was a fun read.
Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema by Lindy West
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked this up for bookclub. I knew it was nonfiction, but I didn't know much more about it.
I listened to it on audio, and the author read it herself. It was a fun book to listen to, mostly because I was familiar with most of the movies the author wrote about. Even the movies that I hadn't seen were interesting in this book. The author pointed out the flaws and plot holes in many of the movies. I had never watched them closely enough to think about them.
I recommend this fun read as an audiobook. I don't know that I would enjoy it as much if I was reading it on my own. The author's tone and storytelling ability made the story so fun.
The Wacky World of Dragons: Laugh-Out-Loud Dragon Stories filled with Laughter, Friendship, and Magical Discoveries for Kids Ages 6-8 by Arnie Lightning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked this up as a freebie.
This was a cute, moral based book of stories. It would make a quick bedtime story that keeps children interested.
I recommend the book.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a cute retelling of Cinderella. I got it as a freebie on Audible. It was a quick fun story and I would recommend it as a bedtime story.
