Review: Cryptid Club by Sarah Andersen

Title: Cryptid Club

Author: Sarah Andersen

Series/Standalone:  Standalone

Genre: Comics, Coffee Table Book, Humor

Pages: 112

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Year Published: 2021

Format: Hardcover (Library Copy)

"Do you hate social gatherings? Dodge cameras? Enjoy staying up just a little too late at night? You might have more in common with your local cryptid than you think! Enter the world of Cryptid Club, a look inside the adventures of elusive creatures ranging from Mothman to the Loch Ness Monster. This humorous new series celebrates the unique qualities that make cryptids so desperately sought after by mankind (to no avail). After all, it's what makes us different that also makes us beautiful."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This one was fun but I wanted a bit more by the end. I think that while it was really cute there were some that were just a little too on the nose for me. Still a cute lil read.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: In Love & Pajamas by Catana Chetwynd

Title: In Love & Pajamas

Author: Catana Chetwynd

Artist(s): Catana Chetwynd

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Graphic Novel, Coffee Table Book, Humor

Pages: 128

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Year Published: 2021

Format: Hardcover (Library Copy)

"When you've reached that sweatpants-wearing cozy place in your relationship, it's all in Love & Pajamas! This brand-new collection of Catan Comics presents some fan favorites and half of the book features never-before-seen comics that delight and amuse readers of all ages. Whole, sweet, feel-good humor!"

My Rating: 5/5

This was my husband's favourite of these comics that we've read together and I agree. This really sets the stage for long-term relationships. The others reminded me of times earlier in our lives, but these were so intensely us that I could hardly believe that this was somewhat universal for other couples. Fun, romantic and humour-filled. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Fangs by Sarah Andersen

Title: Fangs

Author/Artist: Sarah Andersen

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Comics, Humor, Coffee Table Book

Pages: 115

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Year Published: 2020

Format: Hardcover Copy (Library)

"Elsie the vampire is three hundred years old, but in all that time, she has never met her match. This all changes one night in a bar when she meets Jimmy, a charming werewolf with a wry sense of humor and a fondness for running wild during the full moon. Together they enjoy horror films and scary novels, shady strolls, fine dining (though never with garlic), and a genuine fondness for each other's unusual habits, macabre lifestyle and monstrous appetites."

My Rating: 5/5

For what this is it's such a fun little set of comics. It shows so many elements to the characters and is a quick, fun-filled read. I thought it was a perfect little coffee table comic collection. I plan on purchasing a copy to add to my library. Would strongly recommend for someone looking for a fun, short, humor filled coffee table book.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich

 Title: Three to Get Deadly

Author: Janet Evanovich

Series/Standalone: Stephanie Plum Series (Book #3)

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Humor

Pages: 321

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Year Published: 1997

Format: Audiobook

"Stephanie Plum, the brassy babe in the powder blue Buick is back and she's having a bad hair day-- for the whole month of January. She's been given the unpopular task of finding Mo Bedemier, Trenton's most beloved citizen, arrested for carrying concealed, gone no-show for his court appearance.

And to make matters worse, she's got Lula, a former hooker turned file clerk-- now a wannabe bounty hunter- at her side, sticking like glue. Lula's big and blonde and black and itching to get the chance to lock up a crook in the trunk of her car.

Morelli, the New Jersey vice cop with the slow-burning smile that undermines a girl's strongest resolve is being polite. So what does that mean? Has he found a new love? Or is he manipulating Steph, using her in his police investigation, counting on her unmanageable curiosity and competitive Jersey attitude?

Once again, the entire One for the Money crew is in action, including Ranger and Grandma Mazur, searching for Mo, tripping down a trail littered with dead drug dealers, leading Stephanie to suspect Mo has traded his ice-cream scoop for a vigilante gun."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I think this is where I leave the series. After listening to this audiobook the only way I can describe my emotion is disappointed. The first book in this series had a small amount of romance and a decent amount of mystery. This book has done a total 180, we're more worried about the romance then the mystery and details are constantly skated over. The whole romance starting when they were 8 is brought up consistently and makes me extremely uncomfortable. The characters have no real sense of urgency even in the middle of a ton of murders.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Beckman

Title: A Man Called Ove
Author: Fredrik Backman
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Humor
Pages: 294
Publisher: Atria Books
Year Published: 2012
Format: Paperback Copy (Library Copy)
First Line: "Ove is fifty-nine."

"A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. he's a curmudgeon, the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. he has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. people called him the bitter neighbor from hell, but must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered on his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior, there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundation."

My Rating: 5/5

This was the monthly book for my local book club this month and it took me a while to get into the storyline and the characters, but the more I read the more I enjoyed the storytelling and everything involved in the story. This story is a great book to read, it's emotional in ways that make you laugh, cry and just stare into space filled with emotion. You know what I'm trying to say? This book will forever be in my mind, and I'm glad to say it will probably be one of my new favourite reads.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

This book was heartwrenching. We start by following Ove, a man whose the main job would at first appear to be making everyone else's life miserable just due to the changing time. I also thought that this story was interesting to follow due to the loss, the backstory and the use of time. I loved the characters and the plot. 

Characters:
Ove: Yes he is crotchety. He is rude to those around him, and he seems to not have a reason for it. But over time he grows on you and you begin to understand how his past has affected how he does things now and why things that are changing is hard for him to understand/deal with. I really loved the way he grew on characters around him and found a reason to live without the love of his life. 

Sonja: I wish we could have seen more of her years with Ove and how she handled his need to have everything a certain way. They were beautiful together and it hurt my heart to see how they met, fell in love and went through life together just for him to be left behind.

Anita: To have lost your best girlfriend, as well as to be losing your husband would be a horrible fate. To lay in bed beside someone who doesn't know who you are or to have the love of your life asking about things would just break my heart.

Rune: I would classify him as Ove's best friend. I hope that he had the chance to live a long and happy life with his wife, although his condition did not improve.

Jimmy: He was the sweetest person I could imagine, and I loved how blunt he was about things. 

Parvaneh: I think that she's really Ove's match in a human. Someone who can give as good as she gets from him while still managing to pull him out of his shell. I loved their relationship and the way he acted with her.


Moments to Remember:
Pg.  113
"'You like reading?' she asked him brightly.
Ove shook his head with some insecurity, but it didn't seem to concern her very much. She just smiled, said that she loved books more than anything and started telling him excitedly what each of the ones in her lap was about. And Ove realised that he wanted to hear her talking about the things she loved for the rest of his life."

Pg. 176
"Ove knew there and then that he would never forgive himself for having got up from his seat at that exact moment, for not being there to protect them."

Pg. 227
"It was as if he didn't want other people to talk to him, he was afraid that their chattering voices would drown out the memory of her voice."

Pg. 266
"'Loving someone is like moving into a house,' Sonja used to say. 'At first, you fall in love with all the new things, amazed every morning that all this belongs to you, as if fearing that someone would suddenly come rushing in through the door to explain that a terrible mistake had been made, you weren't actually supposed to live in a wonderful place like this. Then over the years, the walls become weathered, the wood splinter here and there, and you start to love that house not so much because of all its perfection, but rather its imperfections."

Final Line: "'Saab.'"

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Title: The Rosie Project
Author: Graeme Simsion
Series/Standalone: Don Tillman (Book #1)
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Humor
Pages: 329
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers LTD
Year Published: 2013
Format: Physical Copy (Library Book)
First Line: "I may have found a solution to the Wife Problem."

"Wife Wanted.
Must be punctual, logical and enjoy travelling by bicycle. No smoker, drinkers or horscope readers need apply.

Don Tillman has a brilliant scientific mind, but social situations confound him. He's never had a second date. And so, in the evidence-based in which he approaches all things, he embarks upon the Wife Project: a sixteen-page questionnaire to find the perfect partner. Then in walks Rosie Jarman.

Rosie is on a quest of her own. She's looking for her biological father, a search that a certain gentics expert might just be able to help her with. Soon Don puts the Wife project on the back burner in order to help Rosie pursue the Father Project. As an unlikely relationship blooms, Don is about to realize that despite the best scientific efforts, you don't find love: love finds you."

My Rating: 4/5

This is the first book that I'm reading as a group with a book club I joined at my local library. I'm trying to branch out from young adult books and getting more involved in the community as a whole. Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was fun and humorous without taking itself too seriously. I don't think I would continue the series unless the book club continues with it, not because I didn't like the novel I was just satisfied with how the story wrapped up. I loved the way this book dealt with the idea of Asperger's and social scenarios for people whose brains work in a different way.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

This is my first ever book club book and I'm surprised with how much I enjoyed it. The story was fun and humourous without thinking to highly of its self. Our main character was interesting to read from for the simple reason that his brain interacted with things around him in a different way than others. I also enjoyed that the story didn't take itself to seriously. It knew what it was playing at and was able to keep it light without bogging down the story with unneccesary details at all times.

Characters:
Don: I thought that his perspective was interesting to read from as we observed his behaviour and how it differed from those in his surrondings. I also thought it was interesting to think about the fact that you can't analyze yourself no matter how smart you are, you'd always have a biased towards yourself (whether good or bad). As a preschool teacher I also thought that this was an important aspect of learning how people with Asperger's think (although I'm not sure how accurate it is, for example if this is an own voices novel). Overall I like Don and hope that he won't regret some of the changes he made for Rosie. 

Rosie: I liked her fire and how she said what she thought. That being said, I think she often forgot that Don might need more straightforward hints rather than subtle flirting. I am happy they got together overall because they seem to even each other out. He is organized and she is spontaneous which is something I think every contemporary reader can understand.

Gene: Plain and simple this guy is a dick. I understand if they really did have an open marriage but at what point do you grow up and realize that your wife is waiting for you to get your shit together. I was glad that they fixed their problems, but I can't help the idea of once a liar always a liar.

Claudia: I think that she was sweet to wait for Gene to get his shit together, but she should have just come forward with the fact that she was over the idea of him sleeping around with whoever he could and ask for him to chose. Is that harsh? Maybe but it would have solved the whole issue.

Phil: He's a sweet guy overall and protected Rosie through the good times and bad. And while it seemed that he had broken many a promises but in reality he was in rehab dealing with an addiction. Although we don't know the whole story, I think he's a pretty good guy overall. 


Moments to Remember:
First Line: "Incredible."

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review:The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

Title: The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo
Author: Amy Schumer
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir
Pages: 323
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "Hey, it's me, Amy."

"The Emmy Award- winning comedian, actress, writer, and star of Inside Amy Schumer and the acclaimed film Trainwreck has taken the entertainment world by storm with her winning blend of smart, satirical humor. Now, Amy Schumer has written a refreshingly candid uproariously funny collection of (extremely) personal and observational essay. 
In The Girl wit the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy mines her past for stories about her teenage years, her family, relationships, and sex, and shares the experiences that have shaped who she is- a woman with the courage to bare her soul and stand up for what she believes in, all while making us laugh.
Ranging from the raucous to the romantic, the heartfelt to the harrowing, this highly entertaining and universally appealing collection is the literary equivalent of a night out with your best friend- equivalent of a night out with your best friend- an unforgettable and fun adventure you wish could last forever. Whether she's experiencing lust at first sight while in the airport security line, sharing her own views on love and marriage, admitting to being an introvert, or discovering her boot camp instructor's secret bad habit, Amy Schumer proves to be a bighearted, brave, and thoughtful storyteller who will leave you nodding your head in recognition, laughing out loud, and sobbing uncontrollably- but only because it's over."

My Rating: 5/5

To start: Please note there will not be a spoiler for this book as it is nonfiction!

For those who don't know me personally, I'm a sucker for comedy. Not just comedy movies, but also specials. Really anything that can make me cackle, I'm in. I've watched a few of Amy's appearances and watched Trainwreck as soon as it came out. I really enjoyed both of this interactions mostly because of her crude and witty comedy style. I enjoyed cruder comedy growing up, but noticed that when women did it they caught a lot of flack. And while this can be said for Amy Schumer as well. I think that she's hysterical, talented and overall an amazing role model. This book really gave an insight to her life, her mistakes, her triumphs and her career. I thought that it showed a completely different side of her and the collection of shorter stories were easier to read and pieced together quite nicely. I would certainly read another book of hers and hope that she plans to write more in the future. Until then I will binge watch any comedy specials that will keep me giggling like the immature fool that I am. 

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Book Review: Me and Earl and The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Title: Me and Earl and The Dying Girl
Author: Jesse Andrews
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Humor
Pages: 295
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Year Published:2012

"It is universally acknowledged truth that high school sucks. But on the first day of his senior year, Greg Gaines thinks he's figured it out. The answer to the basic existential question: How is it possible to exist in a place that sucks so bad? His strategy: remain at the periphery at all times. Keep an insanely low profile. Make mediocre film with the one person who is even sort of his friend, Earl.
This plan works for exactly eight hours. Then Greg's mom forces him to become friends with a girl who has cancer. This brings about the destruction of Greg's entire life.
Fiercely funny, honest and heart-breaking- this is an unforgettable novel from a bright talent, now also a film that critics are calling a touchstone for its generation and an instant classic."

My Rating: 4/5

Overall I really enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book. I listened to this while I drove on a road trip to go to visit my boyfriend. I thought that this book transformed into an audio book very well. The voice acting was amazing and made me laugh like a mad woman in my car. I thought that the characters really shone throughout the story. Greg is an amazing narrator and while getting readers invested into the story also makes us laugh in dramatic moments. I thought that all the characters brought something into the story. I hope to read more from this author in the future. The only reason the rating was docked was because of the ending and how abrupt the story seemed to end for me.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Spoiler: Me and Earl and The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

So I "read" this book on my way to see my boyfriend. I say that with quotations because I actually listened to an audio book in the car. I found that the audio book for this story was fantastic and I really loved the different use of actors. I really enjoyed this story overall. I found that it was fun, humorous while remaining for the most part serious overall. The characters were unique and fun to read about, which kept me listening to this rather than tuning into the radio. 

Characters:
Greg: I found Greg a very interesting character's perspective to read from. I thought that he was a hilarious author and had an amusing point of view of his high school. I also thought that the idea of him being a film maker was an interesting point in this story. How he uses his creativity and how he reacts to those around him. He made me laugh in the car throughout my drive.

Rachel: Rachel was an interesting character who was able to handle how crazy Greg could be come. I teared up a little when she gave up fighting at the end, but it really made me think about life and death and how one choice can change everything.

Earl: Earl made me die laughing throughout the book and I pictured a young Kevin Hart to be honest. I thought that this story was great although the stereotypes with the character might be frustrating for some people. I thought that he was a bad ass overall.

Madison: I thought that she was a sweet girl but understood what Greg thought about her. How sometime popular people don't realize the trouble they are causing.


I didn't have memorable moments overall because I had an audiobook, I encourage you to read it on your own and look forward to knowing you're opinions down below.

Thanks for reading, 
Sidny