The Fatal Gift of Beauty Delves Deep into the Amanda Knox Trials for an Entertaining Read

I'll admit, I still don't know how I feel about Amanda Knox. I watched the Netflix documentary and then jumped into the book, The Fatal Gift of Beauty by Nina Burleigh and I am still not convinced of either her guilt or innocence.

Whether or not you know anything about the murder of Meredith Kercher and the ensuing legal circus surrounding Amanda Knox, you have to admit it makes for quite an interesting tale. Two college students studying abroad in Perguia, Italy. One is murdered. The other stands accused. It has all the makings of a Lifetime movie.

Somehow Nina Burleigh takes the twisted tale and examines it from all sides. She paints a full and complete picture of the girls' lives prior to the death of Kercher as well as the trials and media sensationalism that circles Knox. I devoured this book, I had to keep reminding myself while reading it that it is real.

Definitely a must read for anyone who has followed the story to any degree or anyone who enjoys reading true crime books.

Blogger Note:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. This review is entirely based on my opinion.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is a Must Read for 2016

There's been a lot of talk about Blake Crouch's new novel, Dark Matter, and all of it is accurate. This book is the first book I've read in a very long time that grabbed me from page one and had me up very late every night in an simultaneous attempt to somehow both resolve the story and keep it from ending.

A good mix of Sci-Fi and Thriller, Dark Matter carries the reader through the lives (yes, LIVES) of Jason Dessen, a physist who longs to answer everyone's favorite hypothetical question ("what IF I had made different choices in my life? Where would I be now?") thru science.

Without spoiling the story, this book will definitely appeal to a mass audience. Don't be intimidating by the Sci-Fi laebeling. While things get a little heavy on the science occasionally, the story is one worth following until the end.

Definitely worth making it one of your must-reads for 2016.

Blogger Note:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. This review is entirely based on my opinion.

I Am No One By Patrick Flannery

I Am No One by Patrick Flannery is at it's most basic level a novel that brings to life the fears of most of us in the 21st century: having our lives on digital surveillance. Paranoia, self-identity issues and suspense abound.

While the premise of the novel revolves around Jeremy, an Oxford academic, who relocated to New York City, it is also a story that haunts at a deeper level. Remember when "big brother" was always watching? There is no denying that the digital age has upped the ante on what big brother can watch. A reasonable fear indeed.

I did find the flashbacks a bit tedious and the book a little too heavy to read leisurely (not a beach read, in my opinion), I cannot deny that Patrick Flannery has some amazing writing chops. In all honesty, even when my attention drifted from the story his writing kept me coming back to finish it.


Blogger Note:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. This review is entirely based on my opinion.

Eating Well Made Easy: Good and Simple Hemsley Sisters Show Us How

Eating well is hard (and expensive!). Anyone looking to start on a healthier eating journey should look no further than Good and Simple: Recipes to Eat Well and Thrive by Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley.

Photos of the food are appetizing and mouth watering and lots of great tips about how to eat well and a wide assortment of recipes to meet every need and satisfy every taste bud. Do not pass up the Cajun roasted cauliflower (my favorite in the book).

Blogger Note:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. This review is entirely based on my opinion.

Arianna Huffington Wants Us All to Sleep Better Because Science Says So

The Sleep Revolution was the first of Arianna Huffington's books that I read, probably because it was the first one that sought to address an issue that was relevant to me. I don't know any adult with a career and children and a spouse and etc...that can honestly admit to getting enough sleep on any given night. I was interested in how this book played out so I read with enthusiasm.

The book started out well enough, even if it was rehashing the same tried and true basic notions that getting sufficient sleep was a vital part of being healthy. I found the examples and studies interesting and felt that the book was well-researched. (Which was it's downfall, truthfully, as well.) While I appreciated all the studies and scientific facts presented, it slowed the pace of the book down for me and I found myself tuning out.

I was hoping for some tips that would help me achieve a better night's sleep and while this book offered a lot of them, none were really new or anything I hadn't already tried.

All in all, this book is an interesting read if you want a basic overview of sleep but for me it just didn't provide any really useful practical information.

Blogger Note:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. This review is entirely based on my opinion.

Finally, a FUNNY Book About Depression courtesy of Jacqueline Novak

Depression is not funny. It's not supposed to be. But maybe by taking a little of the pressure off us depressos (my favorite term coined/stolen from Jacqueline Novak and her book How to Weep in Public) wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. That's where this book comes in. How to Weep in Public reads like half a memoir and half a shared conversation with a friend about being depressed but in the lightest way possible. No self-help material here (thankfully!).

Be prepared to laugh at your depression in all it's many forms. Mostly, just feel okay about it and like someone else is in on it with you. I also have to commend the author because despite the fact that this book is meant to be light-hearted and funny, there is a note in the introduction that includes the number for the National Suicide Prevention hotline. For the times when depression isn't that funny after all.

Blogger Note:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. This review is entirely based on my opinion.

Chrissy Teigen's Cravings Hit All the Right Spots

Who doesn't love Chrissy Teigen? She is absolutely adorable and funny and down-to-Earth, or at least that's how she comes across to her followers on Twitter & Instagram. Continuing her trend of inviting us into her life, Teigen has given us the cookbook that we've all been waiting for, perfectly titled Cravings.

Teigen completely embraces her authenticity in this book. From candid shots of herself beside hubby John Legend, to her famous food photographs, this book is the perfect hybrid cookbook slash coffee table book.

You get a sense of how important food is to Teigen through this book and it translates over into the recipes she's included. She is most known on Instagram for her food that is both man-friendly (read: meat and potatoes) and perfect for indulging in and her book hits all those marks perfectly, but also goes beyond that.

While there are plenty of recipes that you'd expect her book to contain (Frito Pie, Stove Top Stuffing crusted pork chops, Wings (!!)) there are also plenty of healthier fare to balance it all out.

If you like Chrissy Teigen in anyway, this book will not disappoint.

Blogger Note:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. This review is entirely based on my opinion.