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'm Dreaming of a Book-Filled Christmas

There is something magical about the Christmas season in and of itself, but to awake to the promise of brand new books, not yet opened, laying in wait under the tree was the ultimate joy.

Now that I'm older I still love to receive books for the holidays but my tastes have become slightly more refined. Books now serve as not only a pleasurable pastime but also as a means of self-definition. Walk into my apartment and you are instantly greeted by bookshelves. Eye the bookshelves and you can get a pretty good idea of who I am, what I enjoy and my overall character (no pun intended). But books are also a shared experience for me now, as well. I'm a mother and I've worked very hard to instill a love of reading in my son.

I was recently contacted by Ryan from invaluable.com and offered an interesting opportunity: to write about what my ultimate literary collection would look like. Invaluable is an online auction marketplace that has a range of things up for auction including collectibles and first edition books. Imagine, if money was no object, if that long-lost edition I so desperately sought was within reach, what books with line the stacks of my dream bookshelf? I was intrigued. So I dug deep. And this is what I came up with:

1. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

I'm a huge Alice in Wonderland fan (have the tattoos to prove it!) and to have an assortment of editions of this classic would be the perfect way to start my ultimate book collection. The bindings themselves are so unique and would add a splash of color and whimsy to the visual end of my bookshelf as well.

Alice collection. Invaluable.com

2.  James Joyce, Collected Poems.

One of my favorite things to read in Winter is Dubliners by James Joyce. It beautifully translates all the feelings of melancholy that one would normally associate with that time of year. But my appreciation of Joyce goes beyond that one short story. A collection of Joyce's poetry would be an essential on my bookshelf.

Collected Poems of James Joyce. invaluable.com

3.  Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway.

My list wouldn't be complete if I didn't include some Hemingway. After all, Papa was a master of literature and he deserves a space on my dream shelf. Of course A Moveable Feast would be my top pick but Green Hills of Africa is quintessential Hemingway on safari trope.

Green Hills of Africa, Hemingway. invaluable.com

4.  Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. 

I chose this selection because I wanted something that was collectible while still being accessible for my son. Something that I am GREATLY looking forward to in the upcoming year is sharing the magic of Harry Potter with my son and this first edition collection would be the perfect modern touch to my dream bookshelf.

Harry Potter set, J.K. Rowling. invaluable.com

5. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

I have a feeling this book gained a resurgence in popularity after the 2013 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. This has always been one of my favorites. I think it's the mix of growing up on Long Island and the overall aesthetic of excess and sorrow captured beautifully in this book that has me re-reading it at least once a year. But how great would it be to have a first edition of this gem on my bookshelf? The Cugat eyes over the deep blue backdrop? A must for this girl's dream home library!

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. openculture.com

So there you have it, my dream book shelf. Santa, if you are reading this you can feel free to bring me any of the above (I'm definitely on the Nice List this year!). Now it's your turn. What books are must-haves for your library? Share in the comments!

Neil Patrick Harris Writes His Autobiography (and You Can Too!)

If you were a child of the 80s there is probably one experience that we all have in common, at least from a literary point-of-view and that is the Choose Your Own Adventure series of books. You remember them, they were the first time you ever felt like part of the reading experience. You would read a book from the series and then interact by choosing what happens next in the story (ex. For something good to happen to the main character, turn to page 20. For an unexpected turn of events, turn to page 25). In the time before the Internet, this was revolutionary!

Fast forward to the year 2014. One of the most recognized celebrities has taken the Choose Your Own Adventure formula and introduced it to a whole new generation, while re-introducing it to the far more cynical and grown up children of the 80s. The celebrity is none other than Mr. Doogie Howser himself, Neil Patrick Harris (90s kids would get the aforementioned Doogie reference).

Neil Patrick Harris, Choose Your Own Autobiography

It's beyond appropriate that Harris' autobiography, aptly titled Choose Your Own Autobiography, takes the form of the well-remembered and popular 80s children's book series. Of course at it's core the book is Harris' own take on his life from childhood to present day, but it is so much more than that. It is laugh out loud funny, full of celebrity chatter and tied together in the fondly remembered style that puts the reader in charge. The classiness of Harris pours through, yet he never seems to take himself too seriously. He touches on his childhood when he discovers his love for theater and acting, his coming to terms with his sexuality, how being Doogie Howser was a blessing and a curse, his dabbling with fellow celebrities and his most recent role as Barney on How I Met Your Mother.

This book is really an entertaining read. You will laugh and you will forget you are reading a book instead of sitting down and having a chat over coffee with your friend NPH. Don't pass this one up!

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

The Goldfinch, The Book I am Glad I Didn't Give Up On

It's hard not to want instant gratification. We live in a world of instantaneous wish-granting wherever we look. So of course it makes sense that that modern day false entitlement follows us over to the books we read as well.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tart. If you follow books at all, you know it was all over the "Best of" Lists in 2013. Intimidating in size (nearly 800 pages) and slow to really take off, this book immediately reminded me of something Dickens would have written had he been alive today.

The Goldfinch follows the life of Theo Decker at age 13, when his life really begins to take shape. The tragedy of his mother's unexpected death propels the plot along through a weaving path that takes the reader along for the ride. Art figures prominently into the story as both a place and a character. The title of the book itself, borrowed from and inspired by the 350+ year old painting by Carel Fabritius.

A book full of tragedy (orphaned children, unrequited love), mystery (stolen artwork), antique dealings (after reading this book you will have an ametuer understanding of all things antique furnishings), childhood (how parents imprint on their children) and friendships (and how they affect the course of our lives). From an abstract standpoint, the novel also brings up themes of art and beauty and how it leaves an impression on the individual, right and wrong and the moral gray area and the tragedies of life and how we allow them to direct the paths we take in life.

A well-written novel that pays off in the end, if you can get past the drawn-out beginning and the somewhat intimidating length of the book.

"To try to make some meaning out of all this seems unbelievably quaint. Maybe I only see a pattern because I've been starring too long. But then again, to paraphrase Boris, maybe I see a pattern because it's there."