Book 29 ~ This is Where the World Ends

THIS IS WHERE THE WORLD ENDS
By Amy Zhang
© 2016 Greenwillow Books - NY, NY

ISBN# 978-0-06-238304-4

287 pgs

April 2016

This Is Where the World Ends by Amy Zhang

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Is this what kids are reading now-a-days? Ugh. I am definitely not a fan of "realistic fiction" then. I do understand that the real life topics of rape, depression, suicide, drinking, and bullying are important for teens to know how to deal and cope with, but this book had too much of it. The book could certainly create a dialogue for any of the issues that I mentioned, if that is your intent. But wow. So dark and depressing. I found the narration hard to follow at times; the story is told in a before and after (THE EVENT) alternation that mostly had me flipping pages to find out exactly what THE EVENT was. The plot is the tale of Micah and Janie, two high school students that are secret friends; i.e. ignore each other at school or when anyone else is around. Micah wakes up in the hospital and no one will tell him what happened to Janie, where she is, or why she's not answering his text messages. The narration style takes you down the rabbit hole with Janie and Micah and their twisted toxic friendship. Grade 9 and up. I don't think I "liked" this book, but I couldn't put it down in order to find out what exactly THE EVENT was.

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Movie 61 ~ Bridge of Spies

BRIDGE OF SPIES
2015 * PG-13 * 142 min *
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, & Joel Coen
April 2016

Movie 60 ~ Inside Out

INSIDE OUT
2015 * PG * 95 min *
Directed by Pete Docter & Ronnie Del Carmen
Original Story by Pete Docter & Ronnie Del Carmen
Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, & Josh Cooley
Additional Dialogue by Bill Hader, Michael Arndt, & Amy Poehler
April 2016

Movie 59 ~ Crimson Peak

CRIMSON PEAK
2015 * R * 119 min *
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Written by Guillermo del Toro & Matthew Robbins
April 2016

Movie 58 ~Creed

CREED
2015 * PG-13 * 133 min *
Directed by Ryan Coogler
Screenplay by Ryan Coogler & Aaron Covington
Story by Ryan Coogler
Characters by Sylvester Stallone
April 2016

Book 28 ~ Paula Deen Cuts the Fat

PAULA DEEN CUTS THE FAT:  250 Recipes All Lightened Up
By Paula Deen & Melissa Clark
© 2015 Paula Deen Ventures - Thunderbolt, GA

ISBN# 978-1-9430-1602-0

386 pgs

April 2016

Paula Deen Cuts the Fat: 250 Recipes Lightened Up by Paula H. Deen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pretty good. Could use a few more photographs. There's a couple of recipes that I would try.

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Book 27 ~ Great American Experiences

GREAT AMERICAN EXPERIENCES:  Local Specialties, Favorite Restaurants, Food Festivals, Diners, Roadside Stands, and more
By National Geographic Society
© 2016 National Geographic - Washington, D.C.

ISBN# 978-1-4262-1639-8

287 pgs

April 2016

Great American Eating Experiences: Local Specialties, Favorite Restaurants, Food Festivals, Diners, Roadside Stands, and More by National Geographic Society

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic! A book filled with fun facts and foods from every state across the U.S. This book will inspire you to road trip and taste them for yourself. Great photos as well.

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Book 26 ~ Country Cooking From a Redneck Kitchen

COUNTRY COOKING FROM A REDNECK KITCHEN
By Francine Bryson with Ann Wolkwein
© 2016 Clarkson Potter - NY, NY

ISBN# 978-0-553-44845-0

240 pgs

April 2016

Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen by Francine Bryson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fabulous pictures! I may try a few of these recipes!

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Book 25 ~ The Belly Fat Cure: Quick Meals

THE BELLY FAT CURE:  Quick Meals
By Jorge Cruise
© 2015 Hay House Inc. - NY, NY

ISBN# 978-1-4019-4672-2

271 pgs

April 2016

The Belly Fat Cure™ Quick Meals: Lose 4 to 9 lbs. a week with on-the-go Carb Swaps™ by Jorge Cruise

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was not what I thought it was. It is merely a flip book of the lesser of two evils in terms of dining out and in the frozen food aisle. Think in terms of the eat this, not that type of book. Disappointing...

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Book 24 ~ Some of the Parts

SOME OF THE PARTS
By Hannah Barnaby
© 2016 Alfred A. Knopf - NY, NY

ISBN# 978-0-553-53963-9

293 pgs

April 2016

Some of the Parts by Hannah Barnaby

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Follows the recovery of Tallie McGovern as she deals with the tragic death of her older brother, Nate. Tallie was the one driving the car when the accident happened, how Tallie and her family deal or more aptly not deal with Nate's death weaves a story that will have you turning the pages until the end. Tallie has few confidants and even keeps secrets from them. With her parents barely talking to each other let alone her, Tallie finds a letter informing that Nate was an organ donor and that some of the recipients would like to contact the family and surreptitiously creates an email in her mother's name and initiates contact. Tallie is now on a mission to find the PARTS of Nate that are still out there alive in strangers. The last half of the book had me wondering if Tallie was having a breakdown. The story could provide a dialogue on a number of topics: coping with death, how everyone heals differently, and how to handle tragic situations. Ages 13 and up. Side-note: kleenex alert! The ending made me misty with emotion; 4 out of 5 tears a great read.

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Book 23 ~ Dim Sum for Everyone!

DIM SUM FOR EVERYONE!
By Grace Lin
© 2001 Alfred A. Knopf - NY, NY

ISBN# 0-375-91082-4

32 pgs

April 2016

Dim Sum for Everyone! by Grace Lin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So cute! I can't wait to have dim sum again.

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Movie 57 ~ Chappie

CHAPPIE
2015 * R * 120 min *
Directed by Neill Blomkamp
Written by Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell
April 2016

Movie 56 ~ A Ballerina's Tale

A BALLERINA'S TALE
2015 * NR * 85 min *
Directed by Nelson George
April 2016

Movie 55 ~ The Danish Girl

THE DANISH GIRL
2015 * R * 119 min *
Directed by Tom Hooper
Novel by David Ebershoff
Screenplay by Lucinda Coxon
April 2016

Book 22 ~ Cravings

CRAVINGS:  Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat
By Chrissy Teigen
© 2016 Clarkson Potter Publishers - NY, NY

ISBN# 978-1-101-90391-9

240 pgs

April 2016

Book 21 ~ Jack & Louisa: Act 2

JACK & LOUISA:  Act 2
By Andrew Keenan-Bolger & Kate Wetherhead
© 2016 Grosset & Dunlap - NY, NY

ISBN# 978-0-448-47840-1

248 pgs

April 2016

Jack & Louisa: Act 2 by Andrew Keenan-Bolger

Calling all Musical Theatre Nerds that's MTN for short! This story begins with Jack & Louisa visiting NYC over New Year's and attending more Broadway shows than I'll ever be able to afford in a lifetime. I guess it pays to have friends on Broadway (but I digress). Once back in Shaker Heights their attention returns to school and the next musical their school will be performing; Guys & Dolls. Over the break their music teacher had a skiing accident and will be unable to direct. Luckily a former student and Broadway actress agrees to come back to town direct. Jack & Louisa are ecstatic and begin their plan to be cast and Nathan and Adelaide. Eventually Jack & Louisa notice there's something not quite right with the repeated negative attention Jack receives. It all comes to head at rehearsal and Louisa blows her top in defense of Jack. Will the show go on or will the cast walk out?

Side note: This book will make you dig out the Broadway soundtracks of Chorus Line and Guys & Dolls.

Recommended for any lover of the theatre!

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Book 20 ~ Trace Evidence

TRACE EVIDENCE:  A Virals Short Story Collection:  Shock, Shift, Swipe, & Spike
By Kathy Reichs & Brendan Reichs
© 2016 Puffin Books - NY, NY

ISBN# 978-0-14-751920-7

294 pgs

April 2016

Trace Evidence: A Virals Short Story Collection by Kathy Reichs

Fantastic! If you were a fan of Reichs' YA Virals Series, you will delight in this set of four short stories about Tory, Ben, Hi, & Shelton. Shock is the origin of how Tory arrives in North Carolina and becomes a Morris Islander. Shift is whodunnit mystery of stolen equipment from LIRI. Swipe has Tory and the virals attending Comic Con in San Diego with her Aunt Tempe. Nerd-alert they have a raucous good time and solve a crime that occurs on the showroom floor. Spike is the wedding of Tory's dad Kit and Whitney and the strange things that keep going wrong. Is someone trying to sabotage the wedding and is Chance friend or foe? I'm left with only one sad thought - I still want more! I want to know what happens when the gang goes to college.

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Movie 54 ~ Concussion

CONCUSSION
2015 * PG-13 * 123 min *
Directed & Written by Peter Landesman
GQ Article "Game Brain" by Jeanne Marie Laskas
April 2016

Movie 53 ~ Burnt

BURNT
2015 * R * 101 min *
Directed by John Wells
Screenplay by Steven Knight
Story by Michael Kalesniko
April 2016

Movie 52 ~ Brooklyn

BROOKLYN
2015 * PG-13 * 111 min *
Directed by John Crowley
Screenplay by Nick Hornby
Novel by Colm Toibin
April 2016

Movie 51 ~ The Godfather: Part III

THE GODFATHER:  Part III
1990 * R * 162 min *
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Screenplay by Mario Puzo & Francis Ford Coppola
Novel by Mario Puzo
April 2016

Movie 50 ~ The Godfather: Part II

THE GODFATHER:  Part II
1974 * R * 202 min *
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Screenplay by Mario Puzo & Francis Ford Coppola
Novel by Mario Puzo
April 2016

Movie 49 ~ The Godfather

THE GODFATHER
1972 * R * 175 min *
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Screenplay by Mario Puzo & Francis Ford Coppola
Novel by Mario Puzo
April 2016

Book 19 ~ Uncle Al Capone

UNCLE AL CAPONE:  The Untold Story from Inside his Family
By Deidre Marie Capone
© 2011 Recap Publishing - Charleston, SC

ISBN# 978-0-982-84510-3

201 pgs

April 2016

Uncle Al Capone: The Untold Story from Inside His Family by Deirdre Marie Capone

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I decided to read this book after I heard Deirdre speak and it was entertaining. At the end am I swayed to believe that Al Capone was a saint and that everyone else got it wrong? Not so much. Deirdre's memories of her family and Uncle are rose colored and filled with family gatherings and great Italian food. It was an interesting look inside the Capone family and the mystique that surrounds it.

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Book 18 ~ Alex as Well

ALEX AS WELL
By Alyssa Brugman
© 2013 Henry Hold and Co. - NY, NY 

ISBN# 978-1-250-07363-1

214 pgs

April 2016

Alex As Well by Alyssa Brugman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story centers on Alex who is born intersex, meaning with both male and female genitalia. When Alex is young their parents decide to raise them as a boy and has Alex take hormones to further that gender. While in high school Alex decides they feel more like a girl and wants to pursue school, life and everything in between as a female. Alex's father attempts to be supportive, while her mother attempts to covertly give her hormones. In order to attend a new school, Alex requires a new birth certificate and sets about getting one that states female. What follows is pandora's box of secrets about the past that Alex's parents have tried to squelch. Alex fights for her future, but will her parents be a part of it? The story will make you think and squirm in your seat with the things that Alex's mother rationalizes and behaviors she puts into action. Good book to create a dialogue about intersex/transgender issues. The parents are not seen in the best light. The mother's blog entries were bothersome as there were multiple misspellings. Other than that, a book which will make you think. Age 15 and up.

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