Review: Darker

Darker by E.L. James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For me, this was better than the original. In my opinion, Christian is the more interesting and dynamic character, by far, than Anna. It's still as hot and sexy as the first, but it worked better because we got to see the story through the eyes of a much more complex and engaging character. Plus, there was none of that "inner goddess" nonsense that always got on my nerves. Well worth the read. I couldn't put it down.

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Review: Beyond the Messy Truth: How We Came Apart, How We Come Together

Beyond the Messy Truth: How We Came Apart, How We Come Together by Van Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As far as political books go, I found this one to be engaging and thought-provoking. The main idea that I took away from it is that hard-core tribalism that is consuming our politics (on both sides) is actually hurting our country. The truth is, we need both liberals and conservatives. Each side has different ideas and perspectives and is needed to balance the other, but when they refuse to engage in civil debate and insist on winning rather than finding the middle ground, nothing gets done and the people suffer. We all have a common purpose and this should lead to a desire to come up with solutions for the good of all. We may have different ideas on how to get there, but we all know that when we are better together than apart. We are called the United States for a reason.

In my opinion, Jones made a concerted effort to be as unbiased as possible, meaning that he didn't set out to play the blame game. Even though he is a liberal, he didn't just point the figure at conservatives. He pointed out challenges facing both sides, many of which I agreed with, and put forth a fairly common sense solution to bridging the divide. I find it beyond frustrating to watch our politicians at work and the dysfunction that is plaguing our system, but I do have hope that common sense and common purpose will eventually win out.

I think books like this one are a good start for opening that dialogue and show that there is a desire to not necessarily bring the sides together but create a space where we can still disagree respectfully and use our different ideas to create better solutions. It's done every day in the home, workplace, and in business. It's necessary for innovation and progress. I hope we can all remember this sooner rather than later.

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Review: Poirot Investigates

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a delightful collection of short stories about Hercule Poirot and his partner, Captain Hastings. For me, the most enjoyable part of this collection was the relationship between Poirot and Hastings, which was reminiscent of Holmes and Watson. The mysteries were not as involved or elaborate as Christie's full-length ones, but they still made for a pleasant read.

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Review: The Murder on the Links

The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Agatha Christie once again delivers a multifaceted and layered mystery plot with a touch of humor that only the delightful Hercule Poirot can bring. I stopped attempting to figure this one out about halfway through because I just couldn't and just went along for the ride. It was wonderfully enjoyable.

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Review: Salvage the Bones

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved Jesmyn Ward's nonfiction narrative, The Men We Reaped. It was beautifully written and full of deep emotion. While this novel is also beautifully written - Ward's writing style is rather lyrical, even poetic - and certainly had emotion, I was less drawn in by this one.

It tells the story of a poor, African American family over the course of twelve days, ending with the arrival of Hurrican Katrina. For me, the most engaging part of the story was the last few chapters as the family was gearing up for the arrival of Katrina and then when the storm finally hit. I wish there had been more to this and less of the preceding events. I also found the end to be unsatisfying. I wanted to know more about what happened to the family after the storm than Ward gave me. Still, I think this is a novel worth reading.

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Review: Unclaimed Regrets

Unclaimed Regrets by Stacy M. Wray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this one. It was an enjoyable story and I liked the characters and the overall storyline. However, I found the plot to be predictable and reminiscent of many other NA novels that I have read. I thought that the narrative dragged in some places and I wasn't crazy about the final twist. It felt unnecessary and prolonged the end of the story. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a romance and enjoy stories about second chances or "will they, won't they" stories then I would suggest giving this one a chance. It wasn't my favorite, but I still liked it.

Note: I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Men We Reaped

Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a beautifully written piece of prose. In the book, Ward recounts the death of several friends and family members over the course of five years. It is a book about loss and deeply seeded grief, however, it's more than just a personal narrative about a series of tragedies. Many of the deaths speak to larger societal problems that are endemic in many African American communities throughout our country. But it's not a condemning narrative. Ward recognizes personal responsibility as well as the systems in place that leave many African Americans feeling like they have no other options. Through this memoir, Ward attempts to process and understand why the lives around her keeping getting cut short. It's heartbreaking and poignant and a narrative that you will not soon forget.

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