Book: Separation of Church and Hate

 Book: Separation of Church and Hate

Author: John Fugelsang

Pages: 304

This is the 210th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

For more than 2 centuries, the US Constitution has given us the right to a society where church and state exist independently.  But Christianity has been hijacked by far-right groups and politicians who seek to impose their narrow views on government, often to justify oppressive and unequal policies.  The extremists who weaponize the Bible for early power aren't actually on the side of Jesus - and historically they never have been.  How do we fight back against those acting - literally - in bad faither?  In this informative, perspective-shifting book, Fugelsan takes readers through common fundamentalist arguments on abortion, immigration, LGBTQ rights, and more - exposing their hypocrisy and inaccuracy through scripture, common sense, and deeply inappropriate humor.  It offers practical tips on how to debate your loved one, coworker, or neighbor on the issues that divide us using that Bible they claim to follow.  But Fugelsang's message is about more than just taking down hypocrites.  It's about fighting for the love, mercy, and service that are supposed to make up the heart of Christianity.  It's a rallying cry for compassion and clarity for anyone of any faith who's sick of religion being used as a cloaknig device for hate.

This was a pretty good book.  I felt it was well researched and I even learned a bit.  No one who actually needs to hear these words would read this book, but I am glad I did.  Good book to remind people to stop hiding behind religion to be mean to your fellow man and those you do not agree with.  He does say over and over in the book that it is important to listen.  Something we all need to do more of.

Stars: 4

Book: My Life in Orange

 Book: My Life In Orange

Author: Tim Guest

Pages: 320

This is my 209th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

At the age of 6, Tim Guest was taken by his mother to a commune modeled on the teachings of the notorious Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.  The Bhagwan preached an eclectic doctrine of Eastern mysticism, chaotic therapy, and sexual freedom, and enjoyed inhaling laughing gas, preaching from a dentist's chair, and collecting Rolls Royces.  Tim and his mother were given Sanskrit names, dressed entirely in orange, and encouraged to surrender thermselves into their new family.  While his mother worked tirelessly for the cause, Tim-or Yogesh, as he was not called - lived a life of well meaning but woefully misguided neglact in various communes in England, Oregon, India and Germany.  In 1985 the movement collapsed amid allegations of mass poisonings, attempted murder, and tax evasion, and Yogest was once again Time.  In this extraordinary memoir, Tim Guess chronicles the heartbreaking experience of being left alone on earth while his mother hunted heaven.

This was an interesting book.  Always interested in reading about cults and what draws people in.  He and his mother left the cult when he was 11, but Tim's life continued to be a struggle.  He died in his 30s of a drug overdose.  I read this book because it was part of the Rory Gilmore challenge, but glad I decided to finally tackle it.

Stars: 4

Book: Nickel and Dimed On Not Getting By in America

 Book: Nickel and Dimed On Not Getting By in America

Author: Barbara Ehrenreich

Pages: 256

This is my 208th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Millions of Americans work full time, year round, for poverty-level wages.  In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them.  She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which promised that a job - and job - can be the ticket to a better life.  But how does anyone survive, let alone prosper, on $6 an hour? To find out, Ehrenreich left her home, took the cheapest lodgings she could find, and accepted whatever jobs she was offered.  Moving from Florida to Main to Minnesota, she worked as a waitress, a hotel maid, a cleaningwoman, a nursing-home aide, and a Wal-Mart sales clerk.  She lived in trailer parks and crimbling residential motels.  Very quickly, she discovered that no job is truly "unskilled", that even the lowliest occupations require exhausting mental and muscular effort.  She also learned that one job is not enough; you need at least 2 if you intend to live indoors.  This book reveals low-rent America in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generosity - a land of Big Boxes, fast food, and a thousand desperate stratagems for survival.  Read it for the smoldering clarity of Ehrenreich's perspective and for a rare view of how "prosperity" looks from the bottom.

This was an interesting book.  It is part of the Rory Gilmore reading challenge, so that is what drew me to it.  It was published in 2001, but of course it is still relevant today.  While the minimum wage and sort of crept up a bit, the cost of living has skyrocketed, so I can imagine how much more a squeeze living day to day would be for a large part of Americans.  The author left her comfortable living to spend some time with people who were trying to get by on minimum wage and who were forced to take even 3 jobs just to keep a roof over their heads.  And not even then was it sometimes possible.  It was eye opening and a good read and I encourage you to check it out.

Stars: 4

Book: Tell Me Where She's Buried

 Book: Tell Me Where She's Buried

Author: Patrick Logan

Pages: 311

This is my 207th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

11 years ago, LA was terrorized by The Sandman, a serial killer who claimed at least 12 women's lives.  Young FBI agent Constantine "Con" Striker stopped him, but not before enduring a devastating personal loss - his twin sister, Valerie, was one of the victimes.  Or so he believes.  Even after a decade on death row and confessing to 12 murders, The Sandman denies knowing Valerie Striker.  Desperate for closure, Con demands the killer reveal where his sister's remains are buried.  But The Sandman refuses to talk.  Con's obsession with finding his sister has cost him nearly everthing he loves: his marriage is in tatters, his career is on the brink, and he's burned through partners faster than he changes his clothes.  Now, rookie agent Alex Frost joins Con on a new case; stopping the piracy of Hollywood films before their release.  As they investigate, they uncover a web of darkness an complexity far beyond simple theft - and more deadly.  When they discover a connection bewteen the pirated films and Valerie's disappearance, Con believes he's opn the brink of finally finding out the truth.  But the stakes have never been higher.  Con's relentless pursuit of answers risks not only his sanity but also Alex's life.  And as the pieces come together, it soon becomes apparent that he may soon be searching for his partner's body in addition to his sister's soon becomes apparent that he may soon be searching for his partner’s body in addition to his sister’s.

Poorly written and just not that entertaining.  Did not care about the characters.

Stars: 2

Book: Tessa and Scott

 Book: Tessa and Scott

Author: Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir

Pages: 224

This is my 206th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are the most decorated figure skaters in the history of the sport, and are widely celebrated by peers and fans alike for their superior athleticism, one-of-a-kind partnership, and generosity of spirit.  In these pages, they share their incredible story with the world.  Veteran sports columnist Steve Milton draws from hours of conversations with Tessa and Scott as they take us from their first meeting in 1995 to their impressive debut and rapid rise on the international scene; from the highs and lows of competitive skating to the profound impact of Tessa's injury and subsequent recovery; and from their unprecedented Olympic achievements in Vancouver in 2010 and Sochit in 2014, through to their exhilarating triumph in Pyeongchang in 2017, when their performance capture hearts the world over and catapulted them into unparalleled international acclaim.

This book was entertaining enough. I enjoyed learning about their journey through the skating worl and the pictures.  A bit too much technical stuff, but overall an interesting read.

Stars: 3.5 

Book: The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits

 Book: The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Pages: 384

This is my 205th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were once as dependent on each other as sisters could be, but it's been 2 decades since they've spoken.  As a pop sensatin in their early twenties, the sisters experienced the ultimate highs of celebrity, until they were driven apart one terrible night.  Now, in their early forties, Zoe is a suburban mom in New Jersey, and Cassie is living alone, off-grid in Alaska.  In this story of estranged sisters, Zoe's teenage daughter Cherry is desperate to bring the women back together - and unearth the truth behind their estrangement.  As long-buried secrets surface, Cassie and Zoe are forced to confront their past choices and betrayals and decide whether they ca n open to forgiveness and reclaiming the strength of their sisterhood. 

This was an okay book.  I liked it overall, but Cassie started to really wear on me.  Her self loathing was relentless even when her niece really needed her.  I liked the idea of the story, but just wish I cared more about the characters.

Stars: 3 

Book: The Hazelwood

 Book: The Hazelwood

Author: Melissa Albert

Pages: 400

This is my 204th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

17 year old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice's life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels.  But when Alice's grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away - by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stores are set.  Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: "Stay away from the Hazel Wood:.  Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother's cultish fans.  But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, aHinterland superfan who may have his won reasons for wanting to help her.  To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began- and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

Stars:3