Ralphie Rough Road

I read five and a half (more on that below) additional book since February.  However, I forgot to take pictures of most of them.  Oh well.  At least I still have my handy dandy list.  Here’s the round-up of my latest reads.

1. “Mississippi Blood” by Greg Iles (692 pages) Fiction

This was an excellent book. A page turner for sure. I enjoyed the rich characters. His ability to create characters you care about or come to hate is uncanny. Excellent end to the trilogy. This story is set in the south involving race, murder, rape, and a trial. This book was centered around the trial. The author made it engaging and real. I found myself anxious to turn the page to find out what Quentin, Dr. Tom Cage’s lawyer was going to do. Loved, loved this book.

2.  “You Can Fix Your Brain” by Dr. Tom O’Bryan (347 pages) Non-fiction

Nope.  A big thumbs down on this one.  I was looking forward to this book.  However, I found myself taking everything he said too seriously.  Even going so far as to analyze everything that could be wrong with me.  I did not finish book.  At times it felt more like a sales pitch to buy his tests.  It was also seriously skewed toward his beliefs.

3.  “Writer’s Market: 2019” Non-fiction

This was a helpful reference book for the aspiring writer.  Chocked full of helpful advice and tips along with listings for various types of publications to submit to.  I keep notes of places I am interested in submitting to down the road.  I enjoyed all of the information on each publication.  Complete with contact information, what they are looking for, payment, and more.

4.   “Why We Dream” by Alice Robb (215 pages) Non-fiction

Good book with lots of great information. A bit more of a collection of information on studies and the history of sleep research as it has developed into a science.
I liked how it’s interwoven with her own personal experiences. She sought out different groups and people to include in this collection.

5.  “Killing Commendatore” by Haruki Murakami (681 pages) Fiction

I really liked this book. The storytelling was fantastic. His use of words was eloquent and descriptive yet not overly done. I found myself wanting to turn the page to see what would happen. The author captured me from the very beginning. A wonderful tale of love lost, art, painting, and new friendships. A real world tale wrapped up in another world of fantasy at times. At first I wasn’t so sure about that part, but I ended up liking it. Well done, a must read.

6.  “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” By Yuval Noah Harari (323 pages) Non-fiction

Well done and well said. I really enjoyed this book, especially the back half. Great book overall with good content to make you think and wonder. I liked that it was open-ended. Leaving some of the questions up to the reader to contemplate. Everyone should read this book. Really liked the sections on religion and meditation.

Currently reading “The Golden Tresses of the Dead: A Flavia de Luce Novel” by Alan Bradley.