tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89708310122566849662024-03-14T03:17:43.673-07:00The Fiction RoomReviews and responses to random literature read by a business executive, writer and dad.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger365125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-3473518097138288912020-12-31T09:34:00.000-08:002024-01-09T09:59:42.651-08:002020 BooklistHere's the 2020 List
#
Title
Author
Completed
1
Uprooted
Naomi Novik
January 5, 2020
2
The Iron Trial
Holly Black
January 9, 2020
3
The Copper Gauntlet
Holly Black
January 15, 2020
4
The Bronze Key
Holly Black
January 20, 2020
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-25463536063442471702020-01-20T09:54:00.000-08:002024-01-09T09:58:22.444-08:00The Bronze Key by Holly BlackThe Bronze Key
by
Holly Black
My rating:
3 of 5 stars
I'm going straight to pros and cons today.ProsGreat read for
the target age group.Interesting story idea. Magic that can swap souls?Good
pace and length. Meaty enough to get into, but not a long term commitment.Characters
we can care about.ConsInconsistent magic system. Knock people
out with a thought, but still be crippled by your hands beingUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-33903203602232715952020-01-15T09:47:00.000-08:002024-01-09T09:52:29.501-08:00The Copper Gauntlet by Holly BlackThe Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This series continues and is going well. The best part about this is the pace. Things keep moving, and you go from major scene to major scene, avoiding potential pitfalls like dating the lectures and classes they are attending. The real payoff is at the end. Although this is only book two, major conclusions happen at the end of this book,Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-56554635236229175962020-01-09T09:40:00.000-08:002024-01-09T09:41:50.137-08:00The Iron Trial by Holly BlackThe Iron Trial
by
Holly Black
My rating:
4 of 5 stars
Just when I thought I'd never run into another trio of friends facing danger
from a dark lord at a magic school, I found the Magisterium. (Previous
encounters: Harry Potter, Charlie Bone, Michael Vey, Percy Jackson )This
book wasn't perfect, but it was pretty dang good. Most of the action and
characters flowed along nicely with the telling. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-76260672802827823552020-01-05T08:05:00.000-08:002024-01-09T09:42:10.553-08:00Uprooted by Naomi NovikUprooted by Naomi Novik
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book was, in a word, meh. I really enjoyed the conflict, the setting, and the action in general. The rest was dismally disappointing: the characters, their relationships, the magic system, and the plot. Here are a few representative complaints:Why doesn't Agnieszka have any homesickness or even mention her family when she is first taken to the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-59561248301107791422019-12-31T00:40:00.000-08:002020-01-06T00:41:35.591-08:002019 Book ListWhat can I say? I did it in 2019! I hit my goal of 52, and added an extra like a cherry on top. And I finished 10 days before the end of the year. That makes this my most successful reading year yet. And as I observed last year, success seems to be an all or nothing proposition. I hit most of the goals I set this year. Interesting.
As for my sub-goal of reading at least Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-74747188436975375072019-12-21T00:20:00.000-08:002020-01-06T00:20:52.206-08:00On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen KingOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a re-read for me (from before I started keeping a list), and I found King's advice, style, and experience with writing to be everything one could hope for. Direct, efficient, and validated by success. While he does speak to the use of crude language in your writing, and when you should and shouldn't use it, he sureUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-40740917763220617192019-12-14T00:07:00.000-08:002020-01-06T00:09:01.010-08:00Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. CialdiniInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
At first glance this appeared to be a dry, but relevant, book on persuasion that came up in my search for the book Influencer, a past favorite that I was looking to revisit. I started listening to it, and found it to be dated, with pre-Millenial examples.
Having said all of that, I was surprised to find myselfUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-65995205630366949742019-12-03T23:56:00.000-08:002020-01-05T23:58:06.387-08:00The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick LencioniThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I continue to review this book with my team annually, and every couple of years I do a complete cover-to-cover re-read. This was one of those years. See my previous reviews here:
2016: https://www.fictionroom.com/2016/08/the-five-dysfunctions-of-team.html
2014: http://Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-3999446261452391772019-12-03T23:45:00.000-08:002020-01-05T23:46:58.652-08:00Starsight by Brandon SandersonStarsight by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I've been experiencing a drought of sorts. It's been ages since I encountered a true page turner. Like the drop-everything-including-the-important-stuff-because-I-have-to-know-what-happens-next level of page turner. Well, the drought is over. Starsight isn't a perfect book, but it is fantastic compared to most of the other stuff I've read Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-86099602511479261892019-11-29T23:34:00.000-08:002020-01-05T23:36:05.548-08:00The Last Days of Night by Graham MooreThe Last Days of Night by Graham Moore
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Last year I read Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla and while it was a bit long, and overly technical at some points, it was interesting and stayed with me. My wife read this book for a book club, which reviews some of the same events with the same people, and as we discussed our different perspectives I was often confused byUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-12033935497185820052019-11-21T23:23:00.000-08:002020-01-05T23:24:41.846-08:00The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. SutherlandThe Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
My 6th grade daughter loves this series and I told her I would read a book of her choosing, so here I am. This isn't my normal style, and it's been a while since I read something targeting this age range. My struggle in forming an opinion is mostly from my attempt to account for those 2 facts.
This is a well written juvenile Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-11784382712770796832019-11-15T23:16:00.000-08:002020-01-05T23:17:19.845-08:00The Library at Mount Char by Scott HawkinsThe Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I have so much to say and yet nothing to say. This book was the product of a random search for an available fantasy audio book from my library, which is all too often the case.
It started as a 1 star read for me. Violent, crude characters and a muddy plot I couldn't follow. What the heck was this all about?
Then it turned Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-83844307143575569292019-10-26T23:06:00.000-07:002020-01-05T23:06:54.300-08:00Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. SwansonManhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm not a big history guy, and I approached this book with some hesitation. It just looked dry. It was actually very fascinating, and not just for the insights into the events around the assassination of President Lincoln, but also for a look into the day-to-day lives of the people of that era. A group of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-18959863125292823322019-10-09T22:59:00.000-07:002020-01-05T23:00:32.179-08:00Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon SinekStart with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
There are a lot of fans for this book, and I had seen Simon Sinek on YouTube and liked his TED talk. However, this landed at a 3-star for me in a weird way: sincere 2 star disappointment with some occasional 4 star tidbits.
Disappointment - he's an unabashed Apple fanboy, and it's so over Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-80777319958534775592019-10-02T22:48:00.000-07:002020-01-05T22:48:49.204-08:00The Fifth Season by N.K. JemisinThe Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I found a lot of positives in this book. It was deep in a many areas. The magic system is complex, and is probably my favorite feature of the whole book. The characters are compelling, and it is easy to care about their struggles. You want them to win. The pace of the book is great, once you get in to it. It did start a little slow, but I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-33341112999121207512019-09-29T22:40:00.000-07:002020-01-05T22:41:36.207-08:00Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks for a Better Life by John WoodenCoach Wooden's Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks for a Better Life by John Wooden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked this up, ready for a quick business/ motivational read. I was surprised to find a quasi-sermon based on the teachings and experience of the great Coach Wooden of UCLA basketball fame. Similar to the Lou Holtz book I read a few years ago, this was a book of solid life lessons from Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-63179769179556464122019-09-25T22:34:00.000-07:002020-01-05T22:35:11.281-08:00Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet by John G. TurnerBrigham Young: Pioneer Prophet by John G. Turner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I approached what looked like a dry history book with a little trepidation. It was long, for one. As I actually got into it, I found it quite interesting. Not a nail-biter for sure, but interesting. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and many of the stories included in this history-first Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-7682661886466967422019-09-06T21:27:00.000-07:002020-01-05T21:28:29.081-08:00Walking with Jesus: A Way Forward for the Church by Pope FrancisWalking with Jesus: A Way Forward for the Church by Pope Francis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
So, I don't know what was expecting from this book from Pope Francis, but it wasn't a long dissertation on Catholic doctrine on various topics. I guess I thought there would be some kind of conversation with the reader about the challenges the Catholic church faces, and by extension Christianity faces, and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-19176346459836561292019-09-01T21:16:00.000-07:002020-01-05T21:17:08.777-08:00Death on the Nile by Agatha ChristieDeath on the Nile by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have found that I really like mysteries, and no one is more adept at the whodunit than Agatha Christie. To me these are the most timeless stories written. Yes, there are the older classics to consider, but none of them carry the pace and interest level for me that these do. In the case of most other classics, I read them because theyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-61000549296098572742019-08-24T21:10:00.000-07:002020-01-05T21:11:53.492-08:00Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne FrankAnne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Pros:
Events from the Holocaust are so much more real and disturbing when you get to know someone who lived it. And that is what this book does. You get to know Anne as a person, with all of her strengths and weaknesses. You feel her fears and frustrations, her petty disagreements and her adolescent highs. When those Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-50578827003691293612019-08-21T21:02:00.000-07:002020-01-05T21:03:01.072-08:00The Hidden City by David EddingsThe Hidden City by David Eddings
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Previous books in the series:
Domes of Fire
The Shinning Ones
It took me a year or so to read this book. It wasn't bad, but the whole series is just... dated. It is a mediocre classic fantasy book, displaying a lot of the features that have been the focus of writers to improve on in the last few decades. The plot was often predictable, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-53376329296226698292019-08-10T20:54:00.000-07:002020-01-05T20:56:14.388-08:00Let Sleeping Dragons Lie by Garth NixLet Sleeping Dragons Lie by Garth Nix
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Hmm, I need to go back and read my review of the first book. I might be at risk of repeating myself. This book was entertaining at a juvenile level. While maintaining a simple plot with simple goals, the authors were able to maintain a storyline and set of characters that appealed to their audience.
The best thing about this book isUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-14964937311204112722019-07-31T20:47:00.000-07:002020-01-05T20:47:47.995-08:00Willpower Doesn't Work: Discover the Hidden Keys to Success by Benjamin HardyWillpower Doesn't Work: Discover the Hidden Keys to Success by Benjamin Hardy
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This random selection started out 5-star strong, and after the first few chapters I was taking notes and dreaming up opportunities to practice environmental design in my life. Unfortunately, that experience was short lived.
Subsequent chapters in this anti-willpower book described scenarios Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8970831012256684966.post-13643004845288632402019-07-30T20:35:00.000-07:002020-01-05T20:36:41.926-08:00Snapshot by Brandon SandersonSnapshot by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
So I'm always looking out it for Sanderson material I haven't read, and I saw this in a picture on one of his Instagram posts. Weird that I hadn't heard of it before.
The concept of snapshots was a little hard to grasp at first. I don't know if he didn't explain it well, or if I just wasn't ready for it. I was halfway through the book Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0