I liked this book. It's tightly paced and has a lot of twists and turns. The author is deft at setting up without being overly wordy, which is hard toI liked this book. It's tightly paced and has a lot of twists and turns. The author is deft at setting up without being overly wordy, which is hard to do in a novel when you're setting up an entire world and form of magic. ...more
I want to see what the book was like after stumbling on the radio show. It had lots of solid advice, and the worksheets were helpful even without beinI want to see what the book was like after stumbling on the radio show. It had lots of solid advice, and the worksheets were helpful even without being in debt-for example, there's one to compare what percentage of your budget you're spending on say, housing, compared to what you should be. Also helpful are the explanations of retirement accounts and estate planning. Great tool even if you're not in debt....more
It was okay. The pacing was off, the characters weren't fully developed, and it just seemed lacking in some way.It was okay. The pacing was off, the characters weren't fully developed, and it just seemed lacking in some way....more
This was a fun book that made me wonder why it's been so long since I read any fantasy/sci-fi. Usually in a short story collection there's one or two This was a fun book that made me wonder why it's been so long since I read any fantasy/sci-fi. Usually in a short story collection there's one or two duds, but all of the stories in this one were fast, engaging, and humorous. ...more
**spoiler alert** I'm late jumping on this bandwagon, I know, but I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I like it. The beginning was a bit slow, se**spoiler alert** I'm late jumping on this bandwagon, I know, but I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I like it. The beginning was a bit slow, setting the scene and laying the threads out, but it quickly picked up pace, and the tension is well tuned. There are some graphic scenes, but not worse than any other murder/mystery type books, or the beginning of any CSI episode. I liked that the book didn't end with the surprise twists, like Martin being a killer or of finding Harriet alive. I rolled my eyes at the first introduction of Lisbeth, thinking she was just another waifish punk/hacker stereotype, but the character ended up being intriguing, and her thought processes/reactions were sometimes startling in how far they were from what I expected. I'll be reading the rest of the series soon....more
I was skeptical about this book. I know it's gotten plenty of raves, but the young adult label threw it off for me- I didn't read young adult books evI was skeptical about this book. I know it's gotten plenty of raves, but the young adult label threw it off for me- I didn't read young adult books even when I was the target demographic, because it mostly was pretty lame. But this book deserves it's accolades. Amazing!...more
Good book. Funny, relatable for anyone who's gardened at all. Quick read.Good book. Funny, relatable for anyone who's gardened at all. Quick read....more
Very engaging read. Story of a family, told from the point of view of different family members at various times, starting in the 80's and ending recenVery engaging read. Story of a family, told from the point of view of different family members at various times, starting in the 80's and ending recently. It could easily have been clumsy or irritating, but the author has a deft touch. Each snapshot in time is a pivotal moment for that character, but it's not done in heavy-handed or sappy manner, and sometimes the impact is only seen later. Although it seemed like a boring subject, this is a can't-put-down kind of book....more
Very interesting book. I didn't buy it at first, because I have behavioral books already, but the question of 'what do dogs see/hear/smell' that drew Very interesting book. I didn't buy it at first, because I have behavioral books already, but the question of 'what do dogs see/hear/smell' that drew me in. I found the answers in this book quite satisfactory. The author's writing style isn't too much different from other dog behaviorists' writing-Patricia McConnell, for example, (footnotes are pretty common in books written by scientists and professors). This book's value is that it focuses on what it's like to own a dog, for both dog and owner, whereas other books focus on how to train a dog, and explanation of the dog's perspective is to facilitate changing their behavior to one more suitable to us. ...more
I liked this book. It was well done, with projects ranging from display ideas to making a tripod out of a water bottle. I'm sure people who consider tI liked this book. It was well done, with projects ranging from display ideas to making a tripod out of a water bottle. I'm sure people who consider themselves 'serious photographers' will not get much out of this book. The main focus is having fun, and they say as much when they recommend getting a point and shoot even if you own an SLR, because most people don't throw an SLR in their bag every day. Overall a fun interesting read....more
This book was a bit boring. Some chapters were hard to slog through, and I skipped some, like parenting, altogether because there was no relation to mThis book was a bit boring. Some chapters were hard to slog through, and I skipped some, like parenting, altogether because there was no relation to my life. The quizzes made it feel like I was reading Cosmo magazine. I didn't feel like there were any new or interesting conclusions, and the summary chapter at the end with lessons from the book was just conventional wisdom-try new things together! Make sex a priority! You know, the exact same things advised in every women's magazine ever. ...more
I found the study of snap judgments, and the conclusion that less data can actually be better, to be interesting. It's an engaging read.I found the study of snap judgments, and the conclusion that less data can actually be better, to be interesting. It's an engaging read....more