Sakina's Restaurant by Aasif Mandvi

Sakina's Restaurant by Aasif Mandvi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was interesting and entertaining but I don't think it completely succeeded in being touching and funny like it was aiming to be.

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The Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe

The Viral Storm: The Dawn of a New Pandemic Age by Nathan Wolfe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's a bit disorganized for me, and considering how interested (read: worried) I am in this topic, I found it a bit dull. However, the tidbits I learned here and there about pandemic viruses in general and specific viruses in particular, I think it was well worth my time to read. The book had some particularly interesting facts regarding the AIDS virus and the Nipah virus (from bats to pigs to people). The connection between pandemics and eating meat, in general, is interesting. I've read before about Toxoplasma Gondii, but it's so crazy, it never disappoints, and I was interested in the new hypothesis about cat hoarders potentially being infected- why is that so hard to find out for sure though? I've read before about helpful bacteria, particularly gut bacteria, but this is the first I've heard of potentially helpful viruses. Finally, I thought it was interesting that Nathan Wolfe's data collection dreams (for preventing pandemics) are precisely Edward Snowden's nightmares. There seem to be many sides to the data debate, not just two.

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Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Beartown by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very slow beginning really picks up midway. It was pretty stressful for me to read because it's pretty dark after the middle and the ending was a bit scattered. Overall, worth reading and thinking about.

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A to Z Mysteries #1-3 by Ron Roy

The Absent Author by Ron Roy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finally read this and it's pretty cute. Twists and turns! I'd recommend this for early readers, 1st-3rd grade depending on reading ability.

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The Bald Bandit by Ron Roy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s fine but not as interesting as the first one.

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The Canary Caper by Ron Roy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I decided this children's series is the kind that is only good for kids and not for adults, so this is my last one. My best to Ruth Rose, she was the only interesting one.

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Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grandma gave this book to James, so I read it. I think it's a nice book especially for people who love horses. Despite the girly name, it's not winning any feminist awards, but it's okay.

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Permanent Record by Edward Snowden

Permanent Record by Edward Snowden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really interesting and informative regarding US technological internal spying capabilities. Explains Snowden's behavior whether or not you agree with it. It makes me want to reread Clapper's book now that I have the other side of the argument.

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Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sweet and funny children's book about inclusion, friendship, environmentalism, and best of all- a busybody tree. Highly recommend.

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Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed learning about the research that Gladwell used in this book, and with Gladwell's particular story-telling. I was already familiar with some but not all of the research, and of course, I already believed that we are not all self-made but usually largely dependent on our environments. That said, there was something a cognitively dissonant about including the 10000-hour rule in a book about how the most successful are typically not all self-made.

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Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Informative, important, and extremely moving. I couldn't put it down until I finished it.

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The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was interesting and inspiring in parts but the organization of the book really slowed me down. I was frequently bored and felt like the story - though nonfiction- was meandering due to the author's choices.

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