My 2017 Year in Books

Thanks to GoodReads, I know my book stats:  78 books totaling 19,786 pages.
Check it out here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2017

Tetris: The Games People Play by Box Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My master's degree is in leisure studies, so this graphic novel, about play and the way our brains work when doing games and puzzles, was fascinating to me. That's only part of this book -- the main topic is the development of Tetris, and the battle for the games' rights.

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Invoice

The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kind of like Kafka. A quick read and interesting.

View all my reviews

Review: As Far as the Heart Can See: Stories to Illuminate the Soul

As Far as the Heart Can See: Stories to Illuminate the Soul by Mark Nepo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thought-provoking short and very short essays/stories, with questions and meditation suggestions following each one.

View all my reviews

Book Review: A Widow's Story

A Widow's Story: A Memoir by Joyce Carol Oates

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've not read anything by JCO before, but wow, her writing is perfection. The subject matter is tough, sad, heartbreaking, but so well done.



View all my reviews

Simple Mom Book Group

I'm going to be reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, a guidebook to the welfare of families everywhere. Join me!

One Dog Happy by Molly McNett

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a GREAT book of short stories. It's not, as the cover might lead you to think, a book about dog stories. I found McNett's writing compelling, engaging, and sometimes heartbreaking. You can tell why she won the Iowa Short Fiction Award. Each story was different but each one really was "wow."


View all my reviews.

The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I hope this is made into a movie someday. It's sad, funny and moving, and all of the characters seem so real.


View all my reviews.

It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita by Heather B. Armstrong

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Everybody age 25-45 should read this book, especially people contemplating being parents and new parents. If I'd read this in 2001 I would have enjoyed my baby YEARS before I could enjoy him. People don't tell you the honest truth about having a child and this book really does give you one person's very real experience. Wonderful and funny writing.


View all my reviews.

Delicate Edible Birds: And Other Stories by Lauren Groff

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read this like I read most books of short stories--if the story doesn't catch my attention, I move on after about 2 pages. That didn't happen very often in this book. Most of the stories were moving and a few were truly riveting. Good writing and interesting characters.


View all my reviews.