Book: Committed

 Book: Committed

Author: Adam Stern

Pages: 320

This is my 17th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Adam Stern was a student at a state medical school before being selected to train as a psychiatry resident at one of the most prestigious programs in the country.  His new and initially intimidating classmates were high achievers from the Ivy League and other elite universities around the nation.  Faculty raved about that group as though the residency program had won the lottery, nicknaming them "The Golden Class" but would Stern ever prove that he belonged?  In his memoir, Stern pulls back the curtain on the intense and emotionally challenging lessons he and his fellow doctors learned while studying the human condition, and ultimately, the value of connection.  The narrative focuses on these residents, their growth as doctors, and the life choices they make as they try to survive their grueling 4 year residency.  Rich with drama, insight, and emotion, Stern shares engrossing stories of life on the psychiatric wards, as well as the group's experiences as they grapple with impostor syndrome and learn about love and loss.  Most importantly, as they study how to help distressed patients in search of a better life, they discover the meaning of failure and the preciousness of success.  Stern's growth as a doctor, and as a man, have readers rooting for him and his patients, and ultimately find their own hearts fuller for having taken this journey with him.

This book was okay.  I liked the idea of it, and found a lot of the cases he was involved in interesting.  He is a psychiatrist here in Boston, so that drew me in.  The book was telling two stories though - his personal life and his cases, where after awhile the personal story took over.  It isn't necessary a bad thing, but it seemed to lose the basis for the book which was to talk about his training as a psychiatrist.  It isn't especially well written, but not terrible either.  Glad I read this - found it for a few dollars at a used book store - but not sure I would recommend it.

Stars: 3 

Book: Paper Cuts

 Book: Paper Cuts

Author: Ellery Adams

Pages: 308

This is my 16th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Nora escaped her past a decade ago.  So it feels like a visit from another world when Kelly Walsh - the woman her ex-husband left her for - walks through the door of Miracle Books along with her son.  Kelly hasn't come to gloat, though.  As it turns out, she's been dumped too.  She's also terribly ill, and all she wants from Nora is forgiveness.  Shockingly, however, this woman who's been the victim of so much misfortune is about to become a murder victim.  Who would do such a thing?  Certainly not Nora, but that doesn't stop the gossip and suspicion - especially after Kelly's brother claims that he saw the 2 women arguing.  In seeking justice for Kelly, The Secret, Book, and Scone Society joins forces with the sheriff's department, but they've barely begun their probe when life throws another wrench.  After serving a 20 year sentence Estella's father returns to Miracle Springs.  And when his past comes back to haunt him, it might be more than the 4 friends can handle.

This was an okay book.  I am working through all 8 of these books by Adams, and they have all been fine.  The first one was my favorite, and they have gotten more "meh" the more I read.  They are easy reads, but I have liked the main character, Nora, less and less.  Adams keeps writing her with a bit of a "Bite" that I don't think you would find in a bookshop owner.  That is my own opinion, but it just doesn't fit what I see for this character, so her snarkiness, and a few things she does in this book seems out of what I felt the norm should be.  Nit picky for sure, but it rubs me the wrong way.  

Stars: 3

Book: Dungeon Crawler Carl

  Book: Dungeon Crawler Carl

Author: Matt Dinniman

Pages: 464

This is my 15th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend?  Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat.  And you know what's worse than that?  An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalatic game show.  That's what.  Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world - or just get to the next level - in a video game - like, trap filled fantasy dungeon.  A dungeon that's actually the set of a realit television show with countelss viewers across the galaxy.  Exploding goblins.  Magical potions.  Deadly, drug-dealing llamas.  This ain't your ordinary game show.

This was an excellent book.  I decided to listen to it because I heard that the audio version was top notch, and it was.  There are a lot of voices and it is highly entertaining this way.  It is clever, and well written, and Carl is a very likable character.  Princess Donut as well.  There are a lot of books in this Dungeon Crawler series, and I am anxious to keep reading to hear where the whole story is going.  Check this one out.

Stars: 5

Book: The Family Across The Street

 Book: The Family Across The Street

Author: Nicole Trope

Pages: 256

This is my 14th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Everybody wants to live on Hogarth Street, the pretty, tree-lined avenue with its white houses.  The new family, the Wests, are a perfect fit.  Katherine and John seem so in love and their gorgeous 5 year old twins race screeching around their beautiful emerald-green lawn.  But today, they won't invite you in when you knock, they brush away offers to babysite and the children haven't been seen.  Every family has secrets, and on the hottest day of the year, the truth is about to come out.  As a tragedy unfolds behind closed doors, the dawn chorus is split by the wall of sirents.  And one by one the families who tried so hard to welcome the Wests begin to realize: Hogarth Street will never be the same again.

This was an okay book.  I had it as a Kindle free read, and I am really trying to get through those more this year.  It had a few surprsies, but not many and I found it overall too wordy.  Large amounts of past lives information that just could have been shortened to move the story along.  It is a fast read - read it in a few hours - so I will give it that.

Stars: 3

Book: William Shakespeare's Star Wars

 Book: William Shakespeare's Star Wars

Author: Ian Doescher

Pages: 176

This is my 13th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Experience the first installment of Star Wars all over again, now with all the drama and prestige of Shakespearean theater.  

This book was read to fulfill a book challenge category of a book without quotation marks.  Those are hard to find!  This was an easy and quick read, and pretty entertaining for what it was.

Stars: 3.5 

Book: A Forbidden Alchemy

 Book: A Forbidden Alchemy

Author: Stacey McEwan

Pages: 480

This is my 12th book for the year

What Amazon Says:

Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are 12 years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential.  Those who pass Belavere's test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city's grand ambitions.  For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive.  And then they uncover a devastating truth: Artisans aren't born, they're chosen.  They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone.  In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war.  Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family.  But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick's rebel group.  Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn't forgotten Nina.  He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City.  Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them.  But when Nina's first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.

This was a pretty good book.  Stacey's Glacian Trilogy is one of my favorites, so I was hopefuly when I saw she started a new series.  This has some strong points.  I like the magic elements, and the few twists that appeared that I didn't see coming.  But it is just a bit too much YA romance for me - felt there were a lot of skippable parts in that vain.  Just getting too old to really enjoy that anymore - find it more of a distraction from the main story than anything else.  The ending is a cliff hanger for the next book that comes out in July, and I think I will read it just to see where it goes.  The overall story is good enough to find out.

Stars: 4

Book: Live Like a Guide Dog

Book: Live Like A Guide Dog

Author: Michael Hingson

Pages: 288

This is my 11th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Michael Hingson's inspiring true story captivated the world when he and his guide dog Roselle escaped the Twin Towers together on 9/11.  During decades of walking with guide dogs, he had learned a surprising truth that helped save his life that day:  Being afraid can be a positive thing, one that prepares us to deal with any situation that befalls us.  Here he reveals how to get equipped for watever obstacles or challenges you may encounter as you make your way through the world; train yourself to be brave, just like a guide dog's training equips handler and dog to prepare for the unexpected; learn to use your natural fear reactions as a way to focus and concentrate to make better decisions and turn your fear into courage and confidence; apply 11 principles Michael has learned with his guide dogs to overcome the fears that you face every day.

This was a pretty good book.  I read Michael's first book - "Thunder Dog" about his escape from the World Trade Center with his guide dog and have followed him ever since.  He is a terrific public speaker and his story of his decent down the stairs with his dog was one not to miss.  This book goes from his childhood to 2023 and all the guide dogs he had over the years and all the ways they helped him navigate and get through his work day.  I encourage you to read his books and learn how someone who has been blind since birth gets past his fear to not let anything get in his way of living a full life.

Stars: 4