Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo | Book Review

(Cool cover, no?  I love it.  And you can't see it here, but the page edges are black, which is cool.)

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews, gushing about this fantastic book.  Click on the cover image above to learn more!

*I checked out my copy of Six of Crows from my local library.

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith | Audiobook Review

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #13!  I think this one was the longest one yet- it had a lot going on!  It was nine CDs instead of six or seven, like previous books in the series.  It didn't feel long, though, if you know what I mean- like, I didn't begrudge the extra few CDs.

What I did begrudge- the CDs had someone say "this ends disc XX" at the end of each CD and "The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection disc XX" at the beginning of each CD.  I'd much, much, much rather have my audiobooks run smoothly from one CD to the next.  I don't want the dose of reality that comes with those statements- I want to stay in Botswana!

Now that I've got that gripe out of the way, on to the story... 

It had a rough start.  One of the mysteries involves Fanwell, one of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's apprentices.  He is coerced into helping a "friend" from his school days fix up some cars for resale.  It is painfully obvious to the reader (and should be to Fanwell also) that this "friend" is up to some shady stuff.  He has Fanwell come over at night to work on the cars in his backyard instead of at a dealership, under the light of a bulb powered with stolen electricity.  So it shouldn't be a surprise when it turns out that the "friend" is "liberating" these cars from their rightful owners!  Unfortunately, Fanwell is now implicated as well.  Like I said, though, it was painfully obvious that this was not going to go well, right from the start, so that was uncomfortable to listen to unfolding.

Another awkwardness in the book:  Phuti has hired a builder to build him a house.  He hears from one source that the builder is currently a bit down on luck and money, but then he also hears from another source that the builder is currently building himself a brand new house.  Again:  painfully obvious to the reader (and anyone with common sense) that Phuti is getting scammed.  

Annnnnd there's another awkwardness, but if I told you about it, it'd ruin a big surprise in the book.  So I won't.  

As you can see, there's some pretty serious mysteries going on in this volume!  Don't worry:  Mma Ramotswe is definitely up to the task, especially with the help of her trusty Associate Detective, Mma Makutsi!  The ladies encounter a surprise "guest star" in this volume, too, that really ups the ante of the story.  I grinned when the special guest was revealed!  You will too.

Despite the awkwardness I experienced on behalf of Fanwell and Phuti, I still highly recommend this one for the special guest star.  You must it to find out more!

*I won't say anything more about the narration... it's the same lady from the previous twelve books, and I don't need to get repetitive.

*I checked out my copy of The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection from my local library.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  For more information, or to join the fun yourself, check out their blog!

Top Ten of My Most Recent 5 Star Reads

So these are actually just a list of my ten most recent 5 star reads, in order by authors' last names.  :)

1. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

2. Please Don't Bite the Baby (and Please Don't Chase the Dogs) by Lisa Edwards

3. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

5. What We Lost in the Dark by Jacquelyn Mitchard

6. Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

7. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

8. The Double Comfort Safari Club, The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, The Miracle at Speedy Motors, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party, and Tea Time for the Traditionally Built,  by Alexander McCall Smith (because otherwise a full half of my list would be just this one series!)

9. Near Enemy and Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh

10. Situation Momedy by Jenna Von Oy

And you?  What were the last ten super reads you read?  :P  Leave a link in the comments and I'll stop by to check to out your list too!

Easy Labor: Every Woman's Guide to Choosing Less Pain and More Joy During Childbirth by William Camann with Kathryn Alexander | Book Review

While Easy Labor is very comprehensive, it's never repetitive or overwhelming or lofty in vocabulary.  So that's good.  However, I also felt that it was pretty biased toward pro-medical pain relief intervention.

I'm of the "knowledge is power" camp.  The more I know, the more reassured I feel.  The hubby and I recently took childbirth prep classes and he seemed pretty overwhelmed with the details.  I walked away feeling much less stressed about my impending labor and delivery.  So to each their own.  That's why I loved this book, and would recommend it to other women in the "knowledge is power" camp.  It covers, in detail, what to expect during each stage of labor, delivery, and recovery.  Everything from how long to labor at home to what will happen when you do arrive at the hospital.  The authors also suggest some comfort items that you could consider bringing from home, like a big fitness ball.  

Mostly, though, the authors cover what medical pain relief options are available at each stage.  They do cover them all fairly, telling the reader of the potential side effects on both mother and baby, and of how the various medicines will impact labor.  (For example, your movement will be severely limited if you receive an epidural, so you won't be able to easily shift position or walk to assist in the labor process.)

I also know that reading worst-case scenarios may scare some people... but even with that, I would still rather know ahead of time than be surprised!  So I appreciated the chapter on emergency c-sections.  Now I can make decisions about regular c-section and/or emergency c-section with my hubby before we're in the emotional throes of labor.  

While I am hoping to avoid as much medical intervention as possible, I did find it reassuring to be able to know all my options in order to make decisions beforehand.  I also appreciated that the authors invited many doctors, medical professionals, and new mothers to submit their birth stories so that the reader gets many perspectives.

*A friend lent me her copy of Easy Labor to read.  Thank you!

PopSugar Reading Challenge Update

This week I read Circa Now by Amber McRee Turner, which is a book that takes place during Summer, Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith, which is a New York Times bestseller, and The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith, which is a book about a culture I'm unfamiliar with.

Previously, I've read:
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, which is a book set in Europe.

The Fireflies Book by Brett Ortler, which is a book that's under 150 pages.

Prohibition Bakery by Leslie Feinberg with Brooke Siem, which is a book I can finish in a day.

Situation Momedy: A First-Time Mom's Guide to Laughing Your Way Through Pregnancy & Year One by Jenna Von Oy, which is a book written by a celebrity.

Meridian by Josin L. McQuein, which is a science-fiction novel.

On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo with Robert Bucknam, which is a book recommended by a family member.

What We Lost in the Dark by Jacquelyn Mitchard, which is a murder mystery.

Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh, which is a dystopian novel.

The Forever Girl by Alexander McCall Smith, which is a book with a blue cover.

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan, which is a book from the library.

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith | Audiobook Review

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #12!  I do feel that this series continues to grow and improve with each one.  There is a little repetition, but that's to be expected when you're in a 12-book series!  It's not bad, and the characters also continue to grow and deepen.

The Saturday big tent wedding party!  Mma Makutsi is finally getting married!  I've so been anticipating this.  Speaking of character growth, I think Mma Makutsi has shown the most growth.  Yes, she can be a bit abrasive or blunt sometimes in her speech, but she shows some restraint sometimes now.  For instance, in this book she makes a few concessions when planning the wedding.  Mma Makutsi from book #1 would never have done that!

The mystery in this volume is more complex than previous ones, too.  Mma Ramotswe can't solve it on intuition and strategic questioning alone.  She's hired by a man who has had two cattle mutilated in the middle of the night.  Cattle in Botswana are like gold, and this must be put to a stop!  But who's doing it?  The suspects outnumber the bovine victims.

On top of this big investigation and the planning of the big wedding, Mma Ramotswe also thinks she sees a "ghost"-- the "ghost" of her precious little white van.  Is she seeing things?  

And finally, Charlie the apprentice gets a little bit of limelight in this book.  He is under pressure to wed a girl, because it is suspected that he's the father of her twins.  While at first he reacts in a very Charlie-style fashion (runs away), he ends up approaching Mma Ramotswe for help.  I do like seeing their interactions!  She's kind of a mother figure to him, in a way.  I love these slightly wayward apprentices- they're big kids at heart, and Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni take such good care of them.

I listened to the audiobook version of The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party, and it has the same narrator as the previous eleven books, and she does a fantastic job.  I've probably mentioned this in previous reviews of this series, but I'm so glad to have chosen the audiobook versions- I don't know that I would've figured out how to pronounce character and place names on my own!  Just one of the many benefits of the audiobooks.

A great series!  Not very deep, but not repetitive or boring either.  I would hope that you would fall in love with the characters as much as I have.

*I checked out my copy of The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party from my local library.

Circa Now by Amber McRee Turner

Today I'm over on Tynga's Reviews, talking about Circa Now, a YA novel that may or may not be magical.  Click on the cover image above to find out more!

*I received an advanced copy of Circa Now from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.  Thank you!

The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith

Another good installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series!  This is #11, and I'm still totally on board with these characters.  I so want to have tea with Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi!

Like in Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, there's a little bit of a serious side to The Double Comfort Safari Club.  Mma Makutsi's fiancee is injured!  He even has to go to the hospital for assistance.  Poor Mma Makutsi.  But I was impressed with her fortitude, and with Mma Ramotswe's kind and gentle support.  They may quibble occasionally, but they truly are the best of friends.

And like best friends occasionally do, they go on a road trip in this book!  The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is hired by an American lawyer to locate an African guide who works at a safari camp, and there's no phone out there:  the ladies must trek out into the wild themselves to locate him!  If you've read this series, you are probably as amused as I was at the thought of these particular ladies on safari.  Anyone want to guess what item of clothing Mma Makutsi suggests they purchase in preparation for their trip?  ;)

I'm still listening to the series on audiobook, and the same narrator is staying strong through this one as well.  For me, this series is like a warm, soft afghan or mac'n'cheese or hot tea:  just so freaking comforting.  I love that I "know" the characters and that there's no nail-biting required and that there's guaranteed laughter.  I highly recommend this series!

*I checked out my copy of The Double Comfort Safari Club from my local library.

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith

Another good installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series!  I promise y'all:  someday I'll finish/catch up on this series and then you'll get to stop reading my reviews of the same people doing the same things.  Until then I will keep writing about them in hopes of convincing you to try this series too!

I'm continuing to do these as audiobooks, and there was just a moment of confused excitement for me when it was first introduced that Mma Ramotswe would be investigating a football team!  I'm a big (American) football fan.  (Go Panthers!)  Then it was brought to my attention that the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is still based in Botswana, and they would be investigating a soccer team.  Oh well.  Still interesting!  I loved watching Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi figure out how to investigate a sports team when they had absolutely no prior knowledge of the sport.  Fortunately, Mma Ramotswe does have a six-year-old boy living with her.  :)

There is also a more serious note to this particular volume:  Mma Ramotswe's van is on it's last legs, so she must do her own investigative work on it, to find out if there's any way that it can be saved.  Also, Mma Makutsi feels that her mortal enemy, Violet Sephotho, is trying to steal her man.  I won't give any spoilers, but you'll be on the metaphorical edge of your seat waiting to find out what happens.  Or, well, as much edge-of-your-seat as you can be with a cozy mystery.

Overall, another good book.  It's #10 in the series, and I'm still hooked and totally not bored.  That's a good indicator!  The same narrator for the audiobook as the previous nine, who continues to do a great job.  I think at this point I'd hear her voice in my head if I tried to switch to print copies.

I still want to go to Botswana and hang out with Mma Ramotswe (if she was real)...

*I checked out my copy of Tea Time for the Traditionally Built from my local library.

Stacking the Shelves

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews, hosting Stacking the Shelves.  Click on the image above to see what books I brought home this week, and to join in the fun yourself!  Happy Saturday, everyone!

Mama Tried: Dispatches From the Seamy Underbelly of Modern Parenting by Emily Flake | Book Review

Third trimester... I'm tired.  I feel awkward.  I'm sore in new-to-me places.  I'm looking for a laugh.  You may remember my review of Situation Momedy?  (click on title to re-read, if you'd like)  I literally laughed out loud at that one!  This one?  Not so much.

It's a very short read, with plenty of illustrations.  The author is a cartoon artist for The New Yorker, so that's a pretty cool feature of the book.

However... the jokes fell a little flat for me.  I know I won't be a perfect mom, but I don't plan to sit glassy-eyed in front of Netflix for days on end during maternity leave.  I do plan to buy some of the nicer baby gear- in some cases (like car seats), it's a safety thing!  I also wouldn't poke fun at mommy groups- I've found some expectant moms out there who have been FANTASTIC support!  I look forward to continuing to talk to them when we all have babies.  

I don't think I laughed out loud once while reading this book.  It was just a little harsh for my taste.  Oh well.

*I impulsively picked up Mama Tried from my local library.

Book Fair Tours

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews, talking about the upcoming RT Booklovers Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada!  Click on the title above to find out more.

The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith | Audiobook Review

Another excellent addition to the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series!  This has got to be one of the best so far!  Mma Ramotswe is hired to help a woman find family, Mma Makutsi gets a new bed, and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni might have found a cure for Motholeli.

I love how these books are so much more than just detective books.  They're more about the people of Gabarone, Botswana (especially those on Zebra Dr. and at Speedy Motors) than about the solving of mysteries.  I think that if they were only about solving mysteries, I would have gotten bored long before now.

The mystery that Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are hired to take on in this book is the finding of family.  A woman approaches the agency and says that she was orphaned at birth, and raised by a woman in her village and only recently found out that she was adopted.  Now that the adopted mother has passed away, she feels like she has no family, and she'd like the detectives to see if they could find her any.  How sweet is that?  I like that mystery much better than any of the ones dealing with dishonesty or cheating, of course!  No spoilers, so you'll have to read the book to find out whether or not Mma Ramotswe is able to find family for her.

For humor, Mma Makutsi gets a new bed... and ends up losing sleep over the large purchase.  There's a whole comedy of errors surrounding this bed, with it's large plush red velvet heart-shaped headboard.  I can guarantee you'll at least crack a smile if not laugh out loud at this whole bed situation.

And Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni hears about a possible cure for Motholeli.  This touched my heart.  He risks everything (mortgages the mechanic shop even) to get Motholeli in to see a specialist in South Africa who might be able to help her walk.  Wouldn't that be a wonderful miracle?  You'll have to read the book to find out what happens!

And finally, there's one other mystery in this book that affects the lady detectives.  It's not a cute or touching or funny one, either, but I love how the ladies never let it deter them for a moment!  They are so strong and brave.  

I continue to enjoy the narrator of these books.  A good, melodic accent lends authenticity to the setting of the stories, but is never hard to understand.  The pacing is a little on the slow side, but I don't mind getting lost in Botswana for awhile.  Especially not with these lovely characters!

Two thumbs up!

*I checked out my copy of The Miracle at Speedy Motors from my local library.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  For more information, or to join the fun yourself, check out their blog!

Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR

So... I have a constant stack'o'books going on.  I think it sometimes drives the hubby a little nuts.  But that stack'o'books makes this week's TTT really easy to do!  Here are the next ten books I intend to read (and probably in this order as well)!

1. Overcoming Life's Challenges: Lessons From the Life of Joseph by Bill Crowder

2. Under the Egg by Laura Fitzgerald

3. The Young Elites by Marie Lu

4. George Washington's Journal for 1754 by Donald H. Kent

5. The Harlem Hellfighters by Max Brooks

7. 3D CAD With Autodesk 123D: Designing for 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, and Personal Fabrication by Jesse Harrington Au

8. Before Liberty by Roy Thompson

9. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

10. Ice Whale by Jean Craighead George

Annnnnd... now you have a snapshot of what an eclectic reader I am.  :)  How about you?  What are the top ten books on your spring tbr?

On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo with Robert Bucknam

(Definitely not in love with the cover, but the info inside made up for it.)

I just finished reading On Becoming Babywise and totally loved it!  I thought everything in it made perfect sense, and I intend to try it with my baby (due in April! next month!)  

Then I read the Goodreads reviews... scary stuff there!  Apparently the American Academy of Pediatricians has warned against this method?  

So here's my new plan: definitely still going to attempt this method (it's worked for other people I know), but keep an open mind.  If my little one has any special medical needs, or if I just can't stand to hear him cry one night and end up letting him sleep in my arms, I won't beat myself for deviating from the plan.

I feel like that's the biggest, loudest message I got from this book, actually:  use common sense.  The authors talk about demand feeding and scheduled feeding as comparison methods.  The message that I got from this book is that the "Babywise" method is in-between.  You should aim for a range of time between feedings (length dependent on the age of the baby), but if the baby is obviously hungry, you should obviously feed him/her.  Duh.  I also really feel like their proposed routine of baby wakes up-baby gets fed-baby has some awake time-baby goes down for the night/for a nap to make a lot of sense.  If I'm not nursing Baby to sleep every time he needs a nap, that means that he'll be more ready to go down for a nap for others if I'm at work or something.  He needs to become ok and comfortable in his own crib, or I'm going to end up with a young adult who won't move out.  Another thing that some other reviewers tend to forget about is that the authors say that for the first few weeks, you can and should love on your baby as much as possible.  There's room to develop a more set routine near the end of the first month.  This is my first, and I know that I'll want to hold him all the time!  We can start using the crib more regularly after that precious first week.  :)

There's also tons of charts in the Appendixes section to help you track your baby's growth and development, so that you can be assured he/she is getting enough food.  I imagine I'll be pretty tired during the first couple of months, and having a chart to make notes on will really help me notice any potential problems.

Overall, I thought this was a great book.  Very readable- while the authors are very knowledgeable about their topic, they never come across as talking down to the reader, and are easy to understand.  There is a slight bit of repetition in it, but not enough to bother me.  I liked the ideas so much that I added the book to my registry!  Next test will be whether or not Baby sleeps through the night by 10 weeks.  ;)

*I checked out my copy of On Becoming Babywise from my local library, and hope to be gifted/purchase my own copy before Baby arrives!

PopSugar Reading Challenge

Admission:  No new items checked off of the list this week.  :(  I did read three books, though, that I haven't written reviews for yet, so perhaps I'll have some to check off next week!

Previously, I've read:
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, which is a book set in Europe.

The Fireflies Book by Brett Ortler, which is a book that's under 150 pages.

Prohibition Bakery by Leslie Feinberg with Brooke Siem, which is a book I can finish in a day.

Situation Momedy: A First-Time Mom's Guide to Laughing Your Way Through Pregnancy & Year One by Jenna Von Oy, which is a book written by a celebrity.

Meridian by Josin L. McQuein, which is a science-fiction novel.

On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo with Robert Bucknam, which is a book recommended by a family member.

What We Lost in the Dark by Jacquelyn Mitchard, which is a murder mystery.

Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh, which is a dystopian novel.

The Forever Girl by Alexander McCall Smith, which is a book with a blue cover.

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan, which is a book from the library.

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith | Audiobook Review

Another delightful episode in the life of Mma Ramotswe and her No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency!  I thought this one was particularly sweet.

The good husband of Zebra Drive refers, of course, to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni.  He is such a good man!  The things all these ladies in his life ask of him, and he never complains.  There's Mma Ramotswe, who moved her detective agency into his garage.  And her assistant, Mma Makutse, who orders around his apprentices and even occasionally tells him how to run the garage as well.  And Mma Potakwame, who runs the orphan farm and who is constantly having him come do (pro bono) mechanical work.  Now, in Book 8, he's taking a turn having the adventure!  He's going to solve a case for Mma Ramotswe.  What fun!

Mma Ramotswe is on a case of her own, too.  She's been asked to investigate at a local hospital, where the patients in a particular bed have all died at about the same time on consecutive Fridays.  Yes, people die in hospitals.  But the same bed?  Same time?  Three weeks in a row?  Seems suspicious to the hospital administrator.  This case is a bit sensitive, since it deals with very ill/dying patients in a hospital, and the mercy/grace that Mma Ramotswe exhibits is quite touching.

I'd say The Good Husband of Zebra Drive is one of the top books in the series so far!

The narration:  same narrator as the previous seven books, so nothing new to say.  Lovely lilting accent, pretty decent pacing.

*I checked out my copy of The Good Husband of Zebra Drive from my local library.

Fifty First Times by J. Lynn/Jennifer Armentrout | Book Review

A warning!  This New Adult book is definitely leaning much more toward Adult than Young Adult!

Another warning!  The title is a misnomer.  While the book is quite lengthy, it only contains nineteen first times, not fifty.  I wonder if the title was chosen because of the use of the word "fifty" in both it and the oh-so-infamous Fifty Shades trilogy?  

I read this short story collection and blushed a number of times.  I haven't actually read any true steamy graphic Adult romance books, so I can't say for sure how it measures up, but there's not much detail left out of these stories.  There is, however, enough story to balance the steam, so that's a positive.  Even though the stories are short, the characters are strong.  I didn't feel like any of them were outrageously 2D or caricaturistic.  (I think I just made up that word.  It's ok- I work in a library.)  So while I did do some blushing, I was able to skim a few extra-steamy paragraphs and still keep up with the story.

There is also definite variety here!  There was one story where the characters are quite young, but they are newlywed before they have their "first time."  There are other stories where the characters are in college- the target New Adult audience.  There's one where the characters are fresh out of a tour of duty with the Army, which was cool.  With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, more and more teens see the Armed Forces as a good career choice (and I agree), and this story reveals a little of how a tour of duty will change and mature a person.  There's also two (maybe three?) homosexual stories to satisfy that crowd.

I don't know that I'd personally choose another book like this one, but I can see a definite audience out there for it.  I would recommend this to much older teens or very young adults.  Oh, and J. Lynn/Jennifer L. Armentrout did a really good job arranging the stories.  Nothing felt repetitious.

*I received a copy of Fifty First Times from the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.  Thank you!

Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith | Audiobook Review

This will be a short review, because this book didn't really make a huge impression on me.  I definitely enjoyed it, but nothing really stood out to me.

It kind of felt like there were less mysteries for Mma Ramotswe to solve in this one, and more interactions between characters.  There was also a lot more of Mma Makutsi, and not good things.  When I started this series, I felt like Mma Ramotswe was more stern and traditional and likely to judge others; now I feel like she's the more open and loving and accepting one and that Mma Makutsi is the judgmental shrewd one.  She also comes across pretty shallow in this book.

The main mysteries focus around a doctor that may be scamming his patients, and a local newspaper advice columnist who may be too abrupt for her own good.  Neither mystery was overly exciting.  

Then there is are the titular shoes.  Do you care to wager a guess as to which lady detective buys the aforementioned blue shoes?  ;)  There is a sweet short scene near the very end of the book where a comparison is drawn between the happiness found in new blue shoes and the happiness found in life in general.

The same narrator continues the story in this audiobook, and she continues to do a good job.  Not fantastic- the pace feels a little slow to me- but definitely not bad.  She has an accent that really takes the reader to Botswana, but not too thick an accent that I have to try overly hard to understand her.

While not as good as In the Company of Cheerful Ladies, this one definitely wasn't bad.  And if you're already into the series, there's no reason not to continue!

*I checked out my copy of Blue Shoes and Happiness from my local library.

PopSugar Reading Challenge Update!

Happy Saturday!  Last week I hosted Stacking the Shelves, so this week's update covers the past two weeks.  This week I added Meridian by Josin L. McQuein, which is a science-fiction novel, and Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh, which is a dystopian novel, and Mama Tried, which is a satirical book.

Previously, I've read:
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, which is a book set in Europe.

The Fireflies Book by Brett Ortler, which is a book that's under 150 pages.

Prohibition Bakery by Leslie Feinberg with Brooke Siem, which is a book I can finish in a day.

Situation Momedy: A First-Time Mom's Guide to Laughing Your Way Through Pregnancy & Year One by Jenna Von Oy, which is a book written by a celebrity.

On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo with Robert Bucknam, which is a book recommended by a family member.

What We Lost in the Dark by Jacquelyn Mitchard, which is a murder mystery.

The Forever Girl by Alexander McCall Smith, which is a book with a blue cover.

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan, which is a book from the library.

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith | Audiobook Review

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies is the sixth book in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.  However, this is a series that you could jump right in to without having read books 1-5.  I totally enjoy this series and recommend that you at least give them a shot!

I feel like In the Company of Cheerful Ladies has even more mystery in it than the previous five books.  There's the mystery of a man under Mma Ramotswe's bed; the mystery of the pumpkin on the porch; the mystery of the missing Zambian financier; the mystery of Charlie the apprentice and his flashy lady; and the mystery of the missing tiny white van.

The man under Mma Ramotswe's bed:  this was hilarious!  One hot day, Mma Ramotswe comes home from work a little early and decides to relax on her bed for an hour before it's time to cook dinner for the family.  Suddenly she hears a strange noise coming from under her bed and next thing she knows a pants-less man is wriggling out from under it and sprinting out the door!  Who was he?  And why did he leave his pants behind?  (This is where I laughed so very hard:  he had to leave his pants because he was getting squashed under the bed, under Mma Ramotswe's "traditional build" weight!)

The pumpkin on the porch:  one morning Mma Ramotswe discovers a beautiful pumpkin left on her porch.  Most people would just accept the gift and go on... but not the No. 1 Lady Detective in Botswana!  She begins an investigation.

The missing Zambian financier is the case that the ladies are actually getting paid to solve.

Charlie and the flashy lady:  who on earth is this glamorous woman who's picking up Charlie from work in a Mercedes Benz?  It's Charlie, for goodness' sake!

The missing tiny white van:  Mma Ramotswe's precious tiny white van breaks down one night.  When she returns the next day with Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni to tow it back to the shop, it's gone!  Where did it go?

This book is so jam-packed.  Mma Makutsi embarks on a new endeavor in her evenings, which (of course), unfolds to much more than she originally thought.  And there's a new face at the garage, who I guarantee you'll like as much as the enduring characters.

Unfortunately, I do have one kind of downer note... I feel like I may be tiring of the audiobooks.  The pacing is starting to feel a little slow.  I think I'd fly through the print books, but the audiobooks progress at their own slower pace.  But then, that matches the feel of life in Mma Ramotswe's corner of Botswana, so maybe this is actually a good note.

I think this series is getting better as it goes!  Looking forward to starting Blue Shoes and Happiness (book #7) soon!

*I checked out my copy of In the Company of Cheerful Ladies from my local library.

Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh | Book Review

Today I'm over at Tynga's Reviews, talking about how much I loved the sequel to Shovel Ready.  Click on the cover image above to find out more!

*I received a copy of Near Enemy from Blogging for Books in exchange for my fair and honest review.  Thank you!

Situation Momedy: A First-Time Mom's Guide to Laughing Your Way Through Pregnancy & Year One by Jenna Von Oy | Book Review

(Doesn't she have adorable kids?!  The big eyes!)

I'll admit to a little trepidation going into this one; celebrity authors can be hit or miss.  Let me tell you:  Jenna Von Oy is a HIT!  This was a total page-turner for me, and I literally laughed out loud at parts.

In each chapter, Von Oy relays a brief story from her teen years, then relates it to a situation in her current mommy-mode, then reassures other about-to-be- or new-moms.  She doesn't sugarcoat the fact that she had a very different young adult life, due to her fame on Blossom and then The Parkers, but she still manages to come across as very down-to-earth.  By the end of the book, I was really wanting to have coffee (decaf, of course) with her!

The book was good right from the start, but I fell head-over-heels in love with it when she said early on that it's absolutely ok and normal to be amazed at the miracle of pregnancy... and also to admit that it's incredibly uncomfortable at times.  She suffered from morning sickness like I did, and then admits to beached-whale feeling during the 3rd trimester (I feel like I'm approaching that).  She even shared a picture in the book of her stranded on the couch with an especially bad day of morning sickness.  That's brave!  Hubby would've suffered my wrath if he'd tried to photograph me on a day like that!

Von Oy makes it very clear that she's not an expert or a pediatrician or a lifestyle coach; she's just a mom willing to share her journey so that we can all laugh together.  She shares her choices for her kids, and also reassures that other choices are just as good; it's just what works for you and your family.  (For example, she breastfeeds, but she acknowledges that's not always feasible or possible.  No shame in formula.)

Overall, I think I would sum this book up in two words:  "reassuring" and "humorous."  I read the other pregnancy books.  You know, the ones that say that if you don't eat kale every day your baby won't have full brain development or something like that.  And I've read the other other pregnancy books that over-share on gross delivery-room tales.  *wince*  This one falls solidly in the middle, making it the Goldilocks of pregnancy/new-mom books that I've read so far.

*I checked out my copy of Situation Momedy from my local library.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  For more information, or to join the fun yourself, check out their blog!

Top Ten Books to Read if You're in the Mood for Nonfiction

1. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  WOW.  What a powerful memoir!  The things that Louis Zamperini overcame during WWII are amazing, and there's such a good "ending" to the story!

2. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller.  Mr. Keller is an honest-to-goodness shepherd, and gives a lot of background into what Psalm 23 means.  I loved getting extra info on a beautiful Psalm, and I loved reading about shepherding.  (I continue to occasionally ask the hubby for a pair of sheep.)

3. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba.  The amazing true story of a teen boy in Africa who did his own research and experiments to build a windmill on his family's property to give them light and irrigation.  He built the thing out bicycle parts and bits of an old radio!  The perseverance.

4. Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan.  Jim Gaffigan is absolutely hilarious, both in his stand-up and in his writing.

5. Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones.  This children's devotional is just GORGEOUS.  I ended up registering for a copy for my own little one.

6. Situation Momedy by Jenna Von Oy.  The subtitle promises "laughing your way through pregnancy and year one" and this book delivers!  I literally laughed out loud many times as I read this.

7. Elephant Company by Vicki Croke.  This one was really unique!  I'm not sure I even knew that there was WWII fighting in Burma until I read this-- and I definitely didn't know about a single British unit that used elephants to save people!  Even better (in my humble opinion):  there's a lot of "human interest" background info on working with elephants in the book, so you don't get bogged down in battle after battle.

8. My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag... and Other Things You Can't Ask Martha by Jolie Kerr.  This is a how-to-clean manual that I ended up reading cover to cover because the author is a fantastically funny writer.  AND I actually use all the how-to's in my own home, and they work!

9. Would You Kill the Fat Man? by David Edmonds.  This one really makes you think!  Turns out there's a sociological exercise in which you're asked to consider pushing a fat man in front of a runaway train in order to save five other peoples' lives, or to let fate run it's course and the train would kill the five.  I read the whole book and still don't know what I'd do!

10. The FairTax Book by Neal Boortz.  This book was fascinating.  It explains our current U.S. tax system, and proposes a way to make it more fair (and cheaper on everyone), and it does it all in language that even I (a non-economist) can understand!