Stacking the Shelves: 4/23-4/29

Won:

Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard

Received in May's Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss:

Prince of Solana by Susan Sheehey

The Best Part of Me by Jamie Hollins

Lake of Destiny by Martina Boone

Beautiful Liar by Zara Cox

Hard Justice by Lori Foster

The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor

Slightly South of Simple by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Pursued by Lisa Harris

You'll Grow Out of It

Title:You'll Grow Out of It
Author: Jessi Klein
Publisher: Hachette

ISBN: 9781478965220

Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: Being the memoirs of a comedy writer, I expected this to be funny.  The words, themselves are, but the narration, but the author herself, rather than fun and conversational, is dry and whiny, which actually make the whole audiobook just depressing.  I recommend reading this one instead of listening.

Rating: 3/5

The Cairo Arrangement

Title: The Cairo Arrangement
Author: Bruce Colbert
Publisher: Anaphora

ISBN: 9781561142869

Why Read?: Early Review

Thoughts: This was just too confusing for me.  The characters switched a lot, and only sometimes did the title of the chapter indicate which character we were currently following.  This just made it too hard to follow the plot.

Rating: 1/5

Stacking the Shelves: 4/16-4/22

For review (on Bookloons):

The Big Bad Fox by Benjamin Renner

First Reads from Goodreads:

The Girl on Mill Street by Peter Gilboy

Dracula

Title: Dracula
Author: Bram Stoker
Publisher: Naxos

ISBN: 9781843798736

Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: A little longer than needed (especially if you know what happens), but it does have it's merits and the style is not bad.  I really liked that the audio version used a different narrator for each character.

Rating: 3/5

Stacking the Shelves: 4/9-4/15

For possible review (on Bookloons):

Real Friends by Shannon Hale & LeUyen Pham

Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids

Title: How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids
Author: Jancee Dunn
Publisher: Little, Brown

ISBN: 9780316267106

Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: I learned two things reading this: a.) great  interpersonal relationship advice for dealing with all members of my family and b.) my husband is awesome.

Rating: 4/5

The Seers

Title: The Seers: Love and Terror on the Fourth of July
Author: J. R. Wirth
Publisher: Books to Go Now

ISBN: n/a

Why Read?: Early Review

Thoughts: A quick-reading paranormal novellette that could have benefited from a few more chapters.

Rating: 3/5

Stacking the Shelves: 4/2-4/8

For possible review (here and on Bookloons):

Becoming Lin by Tricia Dower

A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge

Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld & Alex Puvilland

First Reads from Goodreads:

Silent Approach by Bobby Cole

Strong Is the New Pretty

Title: Strong Is the New Pretty: A Celebration of Girls Being Themselves
Author: Kate T. Parker
Publisher: Workman

ISBN: 978-1-5235-0068-0

Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: A very uplifting collections of photographs of girls being girls.  Some of the quotes from the younger ones are great.

Rating: 4/5

The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic

Title: The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic: How Engaging 1% of Catholics Can Change the World
Author: Matthew Kelly
Publisher: Beacon

ISBN: 5132217700475

Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: Kelly has some interesting ideas and compelling points.

Rating: 3/5

A Corner of White

Title: A Corner of White
Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
Publisher: Scholastic

ISBN: n/a

Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: Fun and unique fantasy.  I did like the Cello characters better than the ones in the World, though.

Rating: 4/5

The President's Kitchen Cabinet

Title: The President's Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas
Author: Adrian Miller
Publisher: University of North Carolina

ISBN: 9781469632527

Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: An interesting look at the African-Americans who have cooked for the president, but the transitions were choppy.

Rating: 3/5

Stacking the Shelves: 3/26-4/1

For review (on Bookloons):

Shattered Warrior by Sharon Shinn & Molly Knox Ostertag

First Reads from Goodreads:

The Halo Effect by Anne D. LeClaire

LibraryThing Early Review:

2DEE by Robin Wyatt Dunn

Beautiful Sorrows by Mercedes M. Yardley

Received in April's Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss:

Down & Dirty by Tracy Wolff

Poison, My Pretty by Amity Allen

The Italian's One-Night Baby by Lynne Graham

I Dared the Duke by Anna Bennett

Tightening the Threads by Lea Wait

The Last Chance Matinee by Mariah Stewart

Duplicity by Jane Haseldine