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jennysbookbag

Jenny's Book Bag

I'm an avid reader, writer, and blogger. I have a diverse taste in books, everything from new releases to classics.

Algebra for the Utterly Confused

Algebra for the Utterly Confused (Utterly Confused Series) - Larry J. Stephens

This is a very basic algebra book, but I think it's a good introduction for people who have been out of school for a while and want to brush up their algebra skills before tackling a college textbook. I would recommend using it as a starter book to supplement another algebra book, but I wouldn't rely exclusively on this one.

The Big Tiny

The Big Tiny: A Built-It-Myself Memoir - Dee  Williams

I recently became interested in tiny house living, so I thought this book would be a good place to start. I was attracted to the idea that somebody built their own tiny house, especially a woman, and wrote a memoir about their experience.

I gave this book 3.5 stars because the book took a different direction than what I had anticipated and it left me feeling a little disappointed. The title led me to believe that I was going to learn how the author build her tiny house with all of the nitty gritty details. Instead it was more about her personal life and what led up to her decision to sell her big house to go tiny. She did discuss building her tiny house, the anxiety, etc., but it lacked the details I was craving. It was still an entertaining read and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in learning about tiny house living, but just don't expect it to be a how-to memoir.

Orphan Number Eight

Orphan Number Eight - Kim Van Alkemade

I stopped at page 100. I loved how it started - her childhood, how she ended up at the orphanage, and her experience there, but then it changed directions and I lost interest. Once the story changed to her adulthood and her nursing career, it got boring. Maybe it got interesting again and I missed it. I don't know. What I do know is that this wasn't what I was expecting and it left me feeling disappointed.

Before I Go To Sleep

Before I Go to Sleep - S.J.  Watson

When I started reading this book last year, I gave up on it because the repetition got on my nerves. It sort of has a Groundhog’s Day repetition to it. I love psychological thrillers and I kept hearing about this one, so I decided to try it again. It’s not the best psychological thriller, but I’m still glad that I read it.

 

The novel is about Christine who loses her memory every time she goes to sleep. When she wakes up, she has no idea who she is, her age, what’s going on in her life or who’s in it. She knows absolutely nothing; every day is a blank slate. The people around her are telling her half-truths and lies, but she’s not sure why. She slowly puts the pieces together with the help of a doctor and the truth isn’t what she expected.

There aren’t many surprises as most of the twists are predictable. My curiosity kept me reading since the novel has such an intriguing storyline. I still wanted to know for sure why she lost her memory and why people were lying to her about it even if I guessed correctly early on. I was completely OK with having one of those “I knew it!” moments at the end.

The characters were just OK; there was nothing particularly striking about them. My biggest issue was the execution because I didn’t think it was the best way to build suspense. I rated this novel with three stars because of the plot. If you’re a psychological thriller fan, I’d still recommend it.

The Silent Wife

The Silent Wife - A.S.A. Harrison

I listened to the audiobook and I actually fell asleep listening to it. To be fair, I think I lost interest because of the narration, not because of the writing. This is one of those books that I'm going to have to come back to.

NLP

NLP: The New Technology of Achievement - Robert McDonald

NLP is neuro-linguistic programming is a technique used to modify behavior. It's a fascinating subject and something I want to know more about. This book is a good introduction to NLP, but it only covers the very basics. When I bought this 2-CD audiobook, I didn't realize it was an abridged version. If your looking for something more in-depth, you might want to try the full print version or maybe even something more current.

The Tumbleweed DIY Book...

The Tumbleweed DIY Book of Backyard Sheds and Tiny Houses: Build your own guest cottage, writing studio, home office, craft workshop, or personal retreat - Jay Shafer

This is a great book to read if you're serious about building your own tiny house. It has a lot of floor plans and great photos with design ideas. Some of the houses are on trailers, but some are on foundations. I love how this book gives you options. It has a lot of instructions on how to build a tiny house. It covers clearing the building site, safety gear, cutting down trees, removing logs, stumps and roots, building the foundation on poles, roofing, raising walls, siding, windows, doors and trim. I had no idea how to cut down a tree or remove a stump until I read this book. It doesn't cover plumbing, electrical or finishing the interior, so you'll need separate books for that. I'd still recommend this book to anyone researching tiny houses.

The Shining

The Shining - Stephen King

This is another great Stephen King novel, but of course he almost never disappoint you. (The only disappointing one was The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. I didn't think that girl would ever get out of the woods.)

The Shining shows Stephen's exceptional imagination and storytelling. His characters have depth and although the novel is a bit long, it doesn't feel long because he keeps moving the story forward. I love the creepiness and the more screwed up the characters, the better. Whenever I read one of his novels, I want to immediately read another one.

Tiny House Living

Tiny House Living: Ideas for Building and Living Well in Less Than 400 Square Feet - Ryan Mitchell

This is a great book for anyone interested in learning about tiny house living. Not only does it have great inspirational photos, but it has references to help guide you if you want to buy or build your own tiny house. I loved the questions it had me asking myself. The book gets you to analyze your day-to-day tasks as well as the things you use in your house regularly. By the time I finished reading this book, I immediately started minimizing my possessions and writing down everything I need to do in order to buy my own tiny house in a few years. I'll definitely reread this one.

Tiny Homes on the Move

Tiny Homes on the Move: Wheels and Water - Lloyd Kahn

Lots of great photos and inspirational ideas.

The Shining

The Shining - Stephen King This is another great Stephen King novel, but of course he almost never disappoint you. (The only disappointing one was The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. I didn't think that girl would ever get out of the woods.)

The Shining shows Stephen's exceptional imagination and storytelling. His characters have depth and although the novel is a bit long, it doesn't feel long because he keeps moving the story forward. I love the creepiness and the more screwed up the characters, the better. Whenever I read one of his novels, I want to immediately read another one.

Book Review: Ghost Summer by Tananarive Due

Ghost Summer: Stories - Tananarive Due

A special thank you to Prime Books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Out of the fifteen stories in this collection, I enjoyed five of them; Ghost Summer, Free Jim’s Mine, The Knowing, Patient Zero and Herd Immunity. Those are the stories that I wish were novels; I loved the stories, the characters, and the pacing. The remaining ten just didn’t resonate with me. A lot of these stories felt slightly detached. It felt like somebody was telling me a story rather than allowing me to feel like I was experiencing the story. I love horror and when I read it, I want it to grab me and throw me into it. In some of the stories, the pacing seemed a little too slow for me at times. Just when the story was getting good, there were unnecessary details that just didn’t add to the story. I’d still consider buying this for family or friends who enjoy horror.

Book Review: Algebra for the Utterly Confused

Algebra for the Utterly Confused (Utterly Confused Series) - Larry J. Stephens

This is a very basic algebra book, but I think it's a good introduction for people who have been out of school for a while and want to brush up their algebra skills before tackling a college textbook. I would recommend using it as a starter book to supplement another algebra book, but I wouldn't rely exclusively on this one.

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

A Head Full of Ghosts: A Novel - Paul Tremblay

This book is a great combination of horror and psychological thriller. Psychological horror is now one of my new favorite genres! I found it easy to get wrapped up into the characters and the plot, especially with the wonderful narration by Joy Osmanski. I couldn’t wait to find out whether Marjorie had schizophrenia, a demonic possession or something else! I’d definitely read another Paul Tremblay novel.

Book Review: A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan

A Window Opens: A Novel - Elisabeth Egan

A special thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

 

It took me a while to get into this book and to warm up to the characters. Once I got into the book, it was an enjoyable, easy read. I thought it was going to be a humorous account of the ups and downs in Alice Pearce’s life, but it had some serious moments such as her husband’s addiction and her father’s illness, not to mention the employment issues and raising a family. I found the second half of the book much more enjoyable than the first half as I couldn’t wait to find out how it ended. I’d recommend this book to fans of women’s fiction.

A Head Full of Ghosts

A Head Full of Ghosts - Paul Tremblay, Joy Osmanski This book is a great combination of horror and psychological thriller. Psychological horror is now one of my new favorite genres! I found it easy to get wrapped up into the characters and the plot, especially with the wonderful narration by Joy Osmanski. I couldn’t wait to find out whether Marjorie had schizophrenia, a demonic possession or something else! I’d definitely read another Paul Tremblay novel.