Goodbye 2015, you rocked!

Oh wow. What an amazing year!

I moved to the US and settled in a little town called Seattle. It is the home of Amazon (work), Microsoft, Boeing, REI, T-Mobile, Theo Chocolate, Nordstrom and many other countries.

Awesome things happen here and yes they did.

This year brought me some brilliant new friends.
This year brought me my centre.
This year brought me love and then heartbreak.

It is a wonderful and successful year.

I don't even know how to thank everyone. How often do you live a year with no regrets? Let's do that again.

Thank you to all my friends.

xx

Six-Gun Snow White

Book 72 of 2015 is Six-Gun Snow White by Catherynne M. Valente.

This is a very modern retelling of a famous fairy tale, set in the Wild West.

Everyone is rewriting fairy tales these days and it is is enjoyable to see the more Grimm versions emerging over the happy saved-by-a-prince Disney versions.  In fact, this Snow White is so far from Disney that I immediately gave her a chance.

With a horse called Charming, a jewel mine and seven more interesting allies than singing dwarfs, she lives a story that made me sad but hopeful.

This is a short book that I would recommend all self-rescuing princesses and their supporters read.

4 of the fairest and most kickass stars out of 5.

Should I read this? If you are willing to part with the world Disney gave you then yes.
What did I learn? Don't expect your Prince to come and save you. Save yourself. Actually, I already knew that,

The Hanged Man

Book 71 of 2015 is The Hanged Man which is book 1 of the Her Majesty's Psychic Service series  by P. N. Elrod.

This book took me a while to read because it felt predictable and my guess is that it was written for women who are new to the fantasy genre. Yes, it is very much aimed at women and that is absolutely not a fault.

The book starts in the style of Sherlock Holmes but goes on to include the intrigue of British India and the painfully dysfunctional world of the British aristocracy. This is something I could see happening, minus the magic.

The writing is simple and in the language of the late 1800 and early 1900s and soaks the world of that time in to your mind as you read. That was quite enjoyable.

4 pairs of tough walking pants out of 5.

Should I read this? An easy and enjoyable read with a touch of fantasy..
What did I learn? The world changed when women had the right to wear clothes that didn't totally restrict their movements.

A Christmas Carol

Book 70 of 2015 is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

This was the free audio book for Christmas from Audible. It was read by the always brilliant Tim Curry, who has given me another version of this book to love.

It took less than three hours to listen to and I shared it with my sister. It made Christmas Eve quite lovely.

For those who care, it is not an interpretation but a very accurate reading of this classic tale that we have all heard many times. You will love this edition.

4 humbugs out of 5.

Should I read this? Oh yes, at Christmas.
What did I learn? Some books make brilliant audio books.

Beauty

Book 68 of 2015 is Beauty by Robin McKinley.

McKinley wrote one of my favourite fantasy books of all time, Sunshine. She refused to write a sequel probably because she knew it was so good. This has resulted in to reading a whole bunch of mediocre books she has penned.

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite Disney movies but not my favourite fairy tales. I've read and watched quite a few incarnations of this famous story and have been delighted along the way. This was not one of them. It was a boring version. No, seriously. Imagine making this so British that nothing happened and then take steroids. That was this book.

3 reboots out of 5.

Should I read this? No. Read it if like me you love Beauty and the Beast stories.
What did I learn? It is hard to justify giving your daughter to a beast just to save your life. There are no real grounds.

Dear Mr. You

Book 66 of 2015 is Dear Mr. You by Mary-Louise Parker.

This is an original and well-written autobiography from an actor I have enjoyed and respected since watching Fried Green Tomatoes. Weeds is still one of my favourite TV shows of all time and she my favourite suburban sociopath.

She writes this as a series of letters to the people who were important in changing her life. Sometimes it is overly wordy and feels like she is trying too hard to write a good book and then she writes a chapter that leaves you crying and telling those around you that you are ok and not to worry.

Even if you don't know Mary-Louise Parker, you should read this. This is my second favourite memoir of 2015 after Not My Father's Son.

4 letters to my dearest loved ones out of 5.

Should I read this? Totally. Absolutely. Yeah, like now.
What did I learn? I need to rewrite my whole book.

Helter Skelter

Book 63 of 2015 is Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry.

This is the hardest book to put down that I have read this year. That is rare for me when it comes to non-fiction but this held my attention. This felt a lot like watching a train wreck but one happening to a bunch of dysfunctional jerks.

The writing is engagingly simple and this has to be one of the best told stories of a criminal trial since To Kill a Mockingbird.

4 cult members out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes, if you have a stomach for psycho cult murders.
What did I learn? People can be convinced by insane charismatic psychos to do their bidding. Usually, very broken people already.

The Atlantis Gene

Book 62 of 2015 is The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle.

This was one of those free Amazon Kindle Unlimited books and it was worth joining up just for this.

This is one of those cool science fiction books that are set in the now but with a little bit of quasi science. That does mean that people with actual science degrees who aren't as chill as me may take offence and maybe find the religious Nazi angle a little challenging but I enjoyed it.

Yes, it is an airport book which means you can consume it during a long-haul flight with little mental effort and they sure do have their place.

3 easy reads out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes, if you enjoy Indiana Jones type adventure.
What did I learn? Science can be twisted for entertainment and still be fun.

A Brief History of Seven Killings

Book 61 of 2015 is A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James.

This is the first time that I have read a Man Booker Prize winner as soon as it won and I don't think I'll be doing that ever again.

This book was written in an interesting way. The voices were distinct and I've not see that done this well in a while.

The problem is that I was sick of the rape and killings in the fifth chapter. The rest was awful.

Was I supposed to me shocked and challenged by that? If so, I was just bored.

Just because the words are strung together well, does not mean this is a good book to read.

3 confronting black references out of 5.

Should I read this? If you like literature for the sake of it then maybe.
What did I learn? Literature should still offer something to people who aren't snobby book types.

The Mermaid's Sister

Book 58 of 2015 is The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble.

These are the kinds of fantasy books that make me remember why I used to dislike fantasy.

Instead of there being an exciting adventure with magical creatures and fantastical characters, this book gave me a pathetic little girl in love with her sister's boyfriend and all the childish rubbish that goes with this.

Having discovered after reading this that this is a children's book, I'm still unimpressed. Can we teach young women to respect strong female characters and not just love boys?

3 pearl tears out of 5.

Should I read this? No.
What did I learn? Mermaids tears turn in to pearls.

Daring Greatly

Book 57 of 2015 is Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown.

I can't say enough positive things about book. It could be because it validates the opinions I have on vulnerability or because Brown articulates those opinions better than I am able to.

This sums it up for me:

1. Cultivating Authenticity: Letting Go of What People Think
2. Cultivating Self‐Compassion: Letting Go of Perfectionism
3. Cultivating a Resilient Spirit: Letting Go of Numbing and Powerlessness
4. Cultivating Gratitude and Joy: Letting Go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark
5. Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith: Letting Go of the Need for Certainty
6. Cultivating Creativity: Letting Go of Comparison
7. Cultivating Play and Rest: Letting Go of Exhaustion as a Status Symbol and Productivity as Self‐Worth
8. Cultivating Calm and Stillness: Letting Go of Anxiety as a Lifestyle
9. Cultivating Meaningful Work: Letting Go of Self‐Doubt and “Supposed To”
10. Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance: Letting Go of Being Cool and “Always in Control”

5 bouts of shame resilience out of 5.

Should I read this? If you respect vulnerability in others and are working on your own authenticity then yes..
What did I learn? I'm on the right path. Now I have more tools.

The Gone-Away World

Book 56 of 2015 is The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway.

Harkaway is the son of John le Carré so no pressure. I didn't find this out until more than half way through the book but then it made a lot of sense. Some online critic described this Le Carré with ninjas but that is unfair and overly simplistic. Harkaway is a great writer independently of his great writer father.

This is an original story which I'd say is closest to Fight Club than most other books I can compare to.

I can't talk too much about the story because there are too many spoilers and you must take the journey yourself.

5 ninjas out of 5.

Should I read this? Without a doubt, yes.

What did I learn? There are very few writers who write this well. This is an adventure in writing and is so well executed that I sometimes felt dirty.

Edgar Allan Poe: The Fever Called Living

Book 55 of 2015 is Edgar Allan Poe: The Fever Called Living by Paul Collins.

One of the better biographies of Poe. He doesn't condemn him, celebrate him nor pretend to understand him. These are the kind of books about authors I like. A story. A context. A human being.
presented as they are without influence,

Unfortunately, as a short book, this felt too long and I wanted more of Poe's great quotes written in context. Give me context!

3 ravens out of 5.

Should I read this? If you like Edgar Allen Poe then yes.
What did I learn? I need to read more about authors.

World After

Book 53 of 2015 is World After by Susan Ee.

Oops, I hate when I read a second book in a series by accident. Now I understand why the world isn't well explained.  Still, you gotta love Angels and Demons at war.  I'll keep going and read book one later.

I do like the dynamic between the female protagonist and her complicated overly macho angel love interest but it is much enhanced by the writing and mythology that backs this.

I shall go back and read the first with interest but I do not recommend you start with this one. There is obviously a void a la Jaba the Hutt's sand monster.

3 fallen angels with wing grafts out of 5.

Should I read this? Maybe after the first.
What did I learn? Angels are only human.

Swarm

Book 52 of 2015 is Swarm by Frank Schatzing.

There is a lot of sci-fi out there in the newly published books. This is a lot more traditional in that it is aimed at pimply teenage boys. The thing is, it is written well but I wish he'd used his talent to write something less macho and cliche.

3 nanites out of 5.

Should I read this? Nah. Go wash your hair.

What did I learn? Geek boys need a girlfriend.

Pines

Book 50 of 2015 is book 1 of the Wayward Pines series, Pines by Blake Crouch.

Think M. Night Shyamalan and you'll at least be prepared for the oddness and twists of this book.

Not knowing this was a TV series, I picked this book up because it was free on Kindle Unlimited. I'm glad it was free because the premis might have put me off and I'd not have read it. I am glad that I did.

This is worth the read but I can not fathom how they will make a TV show out of it. That should be interesting. Hopefully, not as bad as The Dome.


3.5 twists out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes, if you like mysteries.
What did I learn? I don't like books that don't let you solve the mystery along with the story teller.

The Paper Magician

Book 49 of 2015 is The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg.

The idea behind this series of books is pretty cool but it was too whiny for me. The main character could be strong but she always flies back to girly and in need of a man to love her every few chapters. Painful.

This must be for teenagers. I need to check these things more thoroughly and not just read the popular stuff. Yes, I've said this before.

3 elements that aren't elemental out of 5

Should I read this? No, this is a bit too whiny for me.
What did I learn? Magical fantasy is so formulaic. 

A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra)

Book 48 of 2015 is A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley.

This is supposed to be about basic maths and helping you find ways to enjoy it if you haven't in the past. It is written by a maths professor. It is absolutely chaotic and I can only assume there is some bigger system at play.

Yeah, yeah, I'm a mathematician and will find it simple but the reason I read it was to find new ways of thinking about maths. There were a few suggestion but it jumped around all over the place. I can't imagine someone who already dislikes maths liking it after this.

Apart from the pondering on diffused thinking, this didn't hold much for me.

2 random thoughts out of 5.

Should I read this? No. Read another maths book.
What did I learn? A smart person does not a good teacher make and a good teacher does not a good writer make.

A Long Walk To Water

Book 47 of 2015 is A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park.

It tells the story of a young boy who went through the ethic cleansing of South Sudan and the lost boys who walked east to a safe haven in Africa. It also tells the story of a young girl and the joy of a water well.

This is quite heartbreaking but also uplifting. We can not hide from the fact that this happens now while we live comfortably in the first world.

4 wells out of 5.

Should I read this? We all should. People think the last atrocities happened in the WWII but they happen now.
What did I learn? The terror of a child is something you can not imagine. You can only read through it and wish it never happened.

Wool Omnibus

Book 46 of 2015 is the first book of the Silo series, Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey.

This is a great world and the characters are more realistic than the usual post apocalyptic type. The women come across like actual people and tended to remind me of strong female characters in the Star Trek world.

The writing is simple but interesting. I listened to the audio book and it kept me engaged most of the time, which isn't usually the case.

5 silos out of 5.

Should I read this? If you like post apocalyptic fiction then this is one for you.
What did I learn? People don't like being cooped up in finite places.