Books I Read and Other Assorted Oddities

This is a book I've used as an option in my AP class. It was the only book I hadn't read for the longest time. I finally finished it, and here is my review. The Devil in the White City  covers two true stories. The first is the story of the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. This part of the book follows the story of how the fair was built and the work that went into it by the famous architect Daniel H. Burnham. The second storyline follows the life of America's first serial killer, Dr. H. H. Holmes, who was active at the time of the World's Fair. Both accounts are true and pulled from primary source documents. Larson attempts to use the voices of the actual people involved wherever possible. This book was an interesting account on both sides. The individual stories were interesting, detailed, and as I said, Larson pulled from primary sources wherever possible. He often uses the "characters'" words when recounting their story. I enjoyed this aspect of it...

 This is a play that I grew up watching with my dad. We loved the Kenneth Brannaugh adaptation (bare butts at the start and all) and I watched it many times with him. My dad's love of Shakespeare was definitely a big reason that I love it so much, and it has been literature we've bonded over. Since becoming an English teacher, this is my favorite play to teach, and I love sharing it, with its complicated but funny plot, with my students over the years, who have reported liking it more than they thought they would. Much Ado About Nothing  begins on the heels of some sort of short war. The prince, Don Pedro, and his brother, Don John, have just returned from fighting each other. In a gracious move, Pedro has forgiven his brother, and has taken him back into his company. It is from this conflict that the armies arrive in Messina to stay at the house of the governor, Leonato. As the soldiers stay in Leonato's house, Claudio, Pedro's right hand man, falls in love with Leonat...

 To continue my reading of The Lord of the Rings , I listened to this one on Audible. I listened to the Andy Serkis recording which was AMAZING! He is such a good narrator and voice actor. I enjoyed his narration thoroughly. The Two Towers  picks up the story of the fellowship of the ring (now divided) practically where it left off. Frodo and Sam are desperately headed toward Mordor to dispose of the One Ring, while Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas pursue the Orc army who took Merry and Pippin toward Isengard. Frodo and Sam meet an unlikely guide, Gollum, the wretched creature who once possessed The Ring. Gollum agrees to lead Frodo to Mordor, and having no one else to guide them or trust, Frodo and Sam follow him through the dangerous lands leading to Mordor. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas hunt down the orc army in Rohan, eventually finding that the men of Rohan have already decimated the army for them. Merry and Pippin have escaped, and the trio meets a familiar friend: G...

 This book was a book club choice, and while the premise sounded a little weird, it ended up being a feel-good book that I enjoyed. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt follows three different stories. At first, the storylines are disconnected, but gradually they start to line up. Tova lives in a small town in Washington and has recently lost her husband. Cameron is a failure who gives up on everything he's ever tried. Afraid to invest in anything, and desperate to know his parents, Cameron sets out from California to Washington to find his father. Marcellus is an octopus living in the Sowell Bay Aquarium. He alone knows the answers to the mystery of Tova's son, and though he can't communicate it directly, he really is a remarkably bright creature. This book turned out to be a feel-good, warm, fulfilling novel. If you're looking for a beach read or a cozy, comfort book, this is a great choice. I loved the sense of mystery throughout this book. It's clear f...

 This book had so much hype on Bookstagram and the cover is beautiful. I picked it up hoping for a good fantasy read. Fourth Wing  by Rebecca Yarros follows Violet Sorrengail, daughter of the tough commanding general as she enters Basageth to become a dragon rider. Frail and easily injured, Violet must fight for her position in the college each and every day: outwitting the other recruits and surviving her squad leader, the son of the dangerous rebels. Can Violet make it to be paired with a dragon? I honestly got into this book looking for a good fantasy story. I was sorely disappointed. For all of its hype on Instagram, I found this book poorly written. Yarros used the f-word at every opportunity, even when it wasn't appropriate or necessary. This felt lazy to me and unimaginative. I didn't love the story either. It was a bit predictable and the main character bothered me. She acted like a teenager but was supposed to be 21. In fact, when characters started sleeping together,...