A Court of Wings and Ruin Book Review

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: New Adult Fantasy

Format: Hardcover

Series: Yes, Third of trilogy

Status of Series: Completed

This is the last book in the ACOTAR trilogy (though Maas will pick the series back up with other characters in 2018).  If you haven't started the series, click here to see my review of A Court of Thorns and Roses, the first book in this trilogy.

Immediately after finishing ACOWAR, I went back and reread most of ACOMAF.  Why?  Because I don't want to leave this world quite yet.  I have--to this day--never reread a book series.  Not Harry Potter.  Not Twilight.  But I started rereading this one.  In fact, I think I will reread the whole series.   ACOTAR is officially my favorite series of all time.

This was a satisfying end to the ACOTAR trilogy.  It didn't top ACOMAF (which was disappointing) but it was still very good.  I appreciated seeing Rhys and Feyre settle into their relationship.  They acted like a married couple, which rarely happens in YA/NA books.  It was done well.  I do wish there were more scenes between just the two of them though.  I loved what we got but I wanted more.  

The plot was constantly go, go, go.  From the second the book opens in the Spring Court, I was on my toes.  You know the war is coming and that war was intense.  I loved seeing everyone on the battlefield.  Especially Cassian.  Holy cow!  And I loved getting to know Azriel better.  The final battle was epic and I was terrified!  SJM wrote an ending that has me full of emotions.  Should've expected that ending.  Totally didn't.

My one complaint?  I wish I liked Feyre's sisters but I just can't seem to muster the energy to actually like them.  I tried, believe me.  I wanted them to be tenacious like Feyre was when she got to Prythian but (even though they add to the plot) they are just sorta there.  

One More Thing: Stories and other Stories Book Review

Title: One More Thing: Stories and other Stories
Author: B.J. Novak
Genre: Flash Fiction
Format: Hardcover
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B.J. Novak's One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories is an endlessly entertaining, surprisingly sensitive, and startlingly original debut collection that signals the arrival of a welcome new voice to American fiction.

In One More Thing, a boy wins a $100,000 prize in a box of Frosted Flakes - only to discover that claiming the winnings may unravel his family.  A woman sets out to seduce motivational speaker Tony Robbins - turning for help to the famed motivator himself.  A school principal unveils a bold plan to permanently abolish arithmetic.  An acclaimed ambulance driver seeks the courage to follow his heart and throw it all away to be a singer-songwriter...
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I assumed I was picking up a memoir.  That is generally what I assume when I pick up a book written by a celebrity (which is obviously a mistake since the assumption has led me wrong quite a few times).  OMT is actually a collection of short stories and flash fiction.  The stories range from just a few lines to 30-or-so pages long.

Once I realized I was reading flash fiction, I expected the stories to have a sense of humor reminiscent of The Office but it was nothing like that.  The stories aren't laugh out loud funny, they are a one-sided smile and quick breath out the nose funny (go ahead, do it and  you'll understand what I mean).  The majority of the stories have a dark, clever, sarcastic, and cynical sense of humor.   B.J. Novak is obviously brilliant and funny but his sense of humor is not for everybody.

I personally like B.J.'s dark and sarcastic sense of humor a lot but his flash is weird, really weird.  If you like dry, sarcastic, and sometimes twisted humor, you will like this book.  If you are looking for something light & funny, look elsewhere.  This is the perfect book to read if you don't want to get emotionally invested in a novel but still want to read a work of fiction.  It was perfect for me during college finals because a short burst of dark humor was the perfect distraction from monotonous studying.

I liked OMT 3 stars worth but it deserves 4 stars.  How about 3.7 stars?  That seems right somehow.

Strong Looks Better Naked Book Review

Title: Strong Looks Better Naked
Author: Khloe Kardashian
Genre: Health & Fitness, Memoir-adjacent
Format: eBook

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Khloé Kardashian shares her secrets for finding strength of body, heart, mind, and soul with inspirational, revealing stories of her own struggles with weight, relationships, and her self-image.

In a culture that worships skinny, Khloe Kardashian writes with passion about the power of strength: a strong body becomes a strong mind, which builds to strength of heart, character, and ultimately strength of spirit.  This is an inspiring book about how to create strength and true beauty in every area of you life, inside and out.  The book features inspired personal stories from Khloe and practical how-to advice about building a strong body, mind, heart, and soul in your own life.
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When I picked up this book, I assumed it was going to be a memoir.  All I actually knew was that it was written by Khloe Kardashian and I like watching KUWTK, so why not?  Turns out, Strong Looks Better Naked is a healthy living book.

The health advice is nothing revolutionary.  The depth doesn't come from the health information itself but in how Khloe presents it.  She writes like she talks, so you feel as if you are listening to a friend tell you about their journey to a healthier lifestyle.  She also gives the recipe for "Khloe's Famous Breaded Chicken."  If you watch KUWTK, you may think buying the book is worth it just for the recipe.  I already used it (hah).  So, yes, she gives some advice we've all heard before but the way the advice is presented is what sets the book apart.

Since SLBN probably won't have any health information that you haven't heard before, don't read it hoping its will be full of nutrition research, give you the ten secrets to becoming skinny in 10 days, or even a specific diet (of course, if that's what you are looking for, you probably wouldn't have picked up this particular book anyway).  SLBN is more of a personal journey, the way Khloe went about getting in shape: her eating & exercising habits and her mindset.

And don't be totally disappointed if you are hoping for a memoir.  There were some memoir-like aspects.  Khloe shares some of her childhood (her dad and his death), her relationship with Lamar, and addresses some scenes you may have seen on KUWTK.  The space she uses to talk about her father were my favorite parts of the book.

In the end, I enjoyed the book but not because I learned some revolutionary way to get in shape but because I enjoyed reading about Khloe's journey to fitness (and it can't hurt to be reminded of basic healthy habits).