howifeelaboutbooks's reviews
1802 reviews

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty

4.0

A book aimed at the young adult audience, but entertaining enough for adults! I loved reading the letters and journal entries between the characters. It was different than many letter/email correspondence novels I have read - there was more substance. You could get swept away in the story because it really felt like people writing, not people telling a story through emails.

The End of Alice by A.M. Homes

4.0

The blurb of this book initially caught my attention, but by the time I was halfway through, I was sure I'd be too disgusted to finish. It is graphic, yes, but once I read past that to the underlying emotional story, I was hooked. The end of the book was absolutely amazing. After reading the final sentence, I had to sit back and let it all sink in. My mind needed time to absorb the details, untangle the web, and completely enjoy the story that had just been told to me. This book is unforgettable.

The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block

4.0

Once I found myself lost inside this story, I envisioned that I would write an eloquent review that perfectly summarized the story all the while inspiring others to read it. Instead I can only say: This novel is amazing. I absolutely loved it and will absolutely recommend it to everyone I know.

The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst

5.0

The best kind of book can take something as far-fetched and cartoonish as teaching dogs to speak and make you almost believe in it. This book draws you into the story of a recently diseased woman and her husband's quest to solve the mystery behind her death. The only witness that day was the couple's dog, and the man, a linguistics professor, is determined to teach the dog to speak and put together the story. A hint of mystery, a smattering of science, and the undercurrent of a dark love story make this book an amazing read.

The Year of Yes by Maria Dahvana Headley

5.0

The Year of Yes is amazing. Read it. Tell them I sent you. In the first third, you're wanting to be single so you can accept any date thrown your way. Never mind I can't remember someone asking me out since, well... The second third, you're a little scared for humanity. Last third, you're so thankful for your hunny that you pull them into bed on top of you to squeeze them tight and smother them with kisses. When you read dedication to her husband in the acknowledgment section, you will be bawling like a baby. Unless you are heartless.

The Voice on the Radio by Caroline B. Cooney

4.0

Cooney is one of the best young adult authors I've come across. She writes books starring realistic characters but with enough drama and intrigue to keep the reader going long after they have outgrown young adult novels. Reading this book about ten years after my initial reading has done nothing to dull the story.

Places to Stay the Night by Ann Hood

4.0

I fell in love with this book, after thinking I wouldn't. It starts off slow, and you think you will side with the woman who is leaving her hometown and family to try for bigger and better things that she has been deprived of. You resent her husband and children for being ungrateful and tying her down. A third of the way in, you love the husband and completely understand how the children are feeling. Halfway through, you wonder what sort of woman could leave this behind. By the end, she is thinking as you do, and the book leaves you with tears drying on your cheeks and hope in the future.

Multiple Choice by Claire Cook

4.0

I absolutely loved this book! It was sweet, realistic, and at times had me laughing out loud. Claire Cook really knows how to hit close to home without making her characters seem fake or strained.

Must Love Dogs by Claire Cook

4.0

There are many books out that focus on relationships - past and present, failed and successful - and how to remedy them. In fact, many books take a humorous approach to the personal ads. Claire Cook's Must Love Dogs is the best of that group. She has written a sweet yet amusing book that takes a good attitude towards dating, without making it the focus of the story. This is my first Claire Cook novel, and I found she reminds me of Sara Lewis.

Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl

4.0

After reading Dahl's amusing autobiography, which details his childhood and school age years, you can tell where he got the material for his own fiction work. Reading this book is like having Dahl talk to you face-to-face. Some parts make you laugh, some parts make you cringe, but by the time you reach the end you're ready to read the next installment in his autobiography - Going Solo.