Tina Turner's My Love Story

My Love Story by Tina Turner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have I read anything else from this author? Yes, I read I, Tina.

Was this book better than this author's other book? They're both pleasantly hopeful and inspiring. Tina is a mentally strong person who has overcome so much in her life. However, while I, Tina ended on a happy note with Tina reclaiming her life from her ex-husband Ike, this one ends on a sad note.

Was this book enjoyable? Very. Since my husband had a kidney transplant earlier this year and was on dialysis for five years, I found her chapters about her health struggles relatable. I was also glad she has such a rewarding relationship with her husband. He seems great.

Did I learn anything new from this book? I learned that Tina is still the lovely person we met in I, Tina. I also learned she struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia as a child; I don't recall that being mentioned in her previous book. Now I'm extra proud of her that she loves to read and returns to favorite books again and again.

Where did I get this book? I borrowed this ebook from my local library using the Libby app.

Do I recommend this book to other readers? Yes, I would recommend this book to anyone who's interested in celebrity memoirs. The one thing to be aware of is that Tina doesn't narrate the audiobook. It's read by a voice actress.

'The Valley of Amazement' by Amy Tan

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have I read anything else from this author? Yes, I read The Joy Luck Club in college. Nothing else since.

Was this book better than this author's other book(s)? No, it isn't as good as The Joy Luck Club, but that's a very high standard to live up to.

Was this book enjoyable? Yes, this book is highly enjoyable. I felt a strong, nearly instant bond with the main character, Violet.

Did I learn anything new from this book? I may have incidentally learned a little bit about the timeline of U.S.-China relations, but this book is meant to entertain, not teach history.

Where did I get this book? I bought this book from a library used book sale, originally for my grandma. She read it and I inherited a stack of her books when she passed away.

Do I recommend this book to other readers? Yes, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. If you liked The Invention of Wings or Hemingway's Girl, you might like this one too.

Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress (Nonfiction Book Review)

Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have I read anything else from this author? No. I have a copy of How the Mind Works but I've only read pieces, never the whole book.

Was this book enjoyable? Most of it was enjoyable. Its overall tone is hopeful. More than anything, it's informative.

Did I learn anything new from this book? Yes, I learned many facts.

Where did I get this book? I borrowed this audio book from my local library using the Libby app.

Do I recommend this book to other readers? I recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a serious intellectual argument. It's not a fluffy beach read, but if you're looking to dive into the arguments in favor of Enlightenment-era values as opposed to authoritarianism, this is the book for you.

SnowBaz Carries On: 'Wayward Son' by Rainbow Rowell

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hello, I'm experimenting with using a standardized set of questions in creating my most recent batch of book reviews. Feel free to tell me in the comments what you think of this format.

Have I read anything else from this author? Many things: Landline, Pumpkinheads, Fangirl, of course Carry On, Eleanor and Park, and some (but not all) of her Marvel's Runaways comic books.

Was this book better than this author's other book(s)? I had more fun reading this than I did the Runaways comics (which I still enjoyed), but not nearly as much fun as I had reading Fangirl and Carry On, some of my all-time favorite YA books.

Was this book enjoyable? Yes, although the stakes didn't seem nearly as high this time as they did in Carry On. Maybe they'll go up again in the third book. Maybe the third book will end with more of a sense of resolution than this one did.

Did I learn anything new from this book? I learned that winged dragon-boys and vampires fit in surprising well at a Renaissance fair.

Where did I get this book? I borrowed the hardcover from my local library.

Do I recommend this book to other readers? I recommend this book to anyone who read Carry On.

Fan Art from 'Holes' by Louis Sachar

https://thatwritererinoriordan.tumblr.com/post/114678687020/holes-onion-lipstick-elya-yelnats-snake

Holes by Louis Sachar

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first started reading this book (in 2003), I wasn't sure that I would like this book very much. But as soon as Kissin' Kate Barlow came up, I got a lot more interested. By the end, I thought it was a pretty darn good story.