Thursday, March 31, 2016

Review: Training the Best Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement

Training the Best Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement Training the Best Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement by Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Is it obvious I'm getting antsy to get my next dog? This book was really good. The training steps are broken down very well. I think the hard part will be to hold back on the verbal commands long enough to get the hand commands mastered. I think I will be revisiting this one in a few months when I actually get my puppy.

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Friday, March 25, 2016

Review: What Would Lizzy Bennet Do?

What Would Lizzy Bennet Do? What Would Lizzy Bennet Do? by Katie Oliver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was fun. I'm glad there was a lightness to it, as that's what I expected based on the cover (I know, I know). The only beef I have with it was that it doesn't pretend like Pride & Prejudice doesn't exist (it's referenced liberally) and yet too many of the names of characters and places were the same. It felt odd. I think it works better if you change the references while owning fan fiction or leave all the references and pretend like the original novel didn't happen. That aside, I still really enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more from this author.

This review is in exchange for a free e-galley from Netgalley.com.

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Review: Wellth: How I Learned to Build a Life, Not a Resume

Wellth: How I Learned to Build a Life, Not a Resume Wellth: How I Learned to Build a Life, Not a Resume by Jason Wachob
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm a big fan of mindbodygreen.com so I was really interested in what this book would have to say. Although it is well written, there isn't much in the way of original ideas here. If you read the articles on their site or read any number of other wellness books you will already have been exposed to most of the ideas presented here. That's not to say the ideas are bad or reading the book is not worthwhile, sometimes it's very helpful to have a reminding nudge in the right direction.

This review is in exchange for a free copy received from bloggingforbooks.com.

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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Review: Lady Midnight

Lady Midnight Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was a bit worried I wouldn't like this as much as the original series but it holds its own pretty well. It's not entirely original so if you miss the fun of the beginning of the Jace/Clary story, this will be a good balm for you. Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

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Thursday, March 17, 2016

Review: The Thinking Girl's Guide to the Right Guy: How Knowing Yourself Can Help You Navigate Dating, Hookups, and Love

The Thinking Girl's Guide to the Right Guy: How Knowing Yourself Can Help You Navigate Dating, Hookups, and Love The Thinking Girl's Guide to the Right Guy: How Knowing Yourself Can Help You Navigate Dating, Hookups, and Love by Joanne Davila
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Just not applicable to me. This book is targeted towards 20-something women that are dealing with a lot of scenarios I've already dealt with. If you're a younger woman, this might appeal to you but I found nothing helpful here.

This review is in exchange for a free e-galley from Netgalley.com.

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Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Review: The Argonauts

The Argonauts The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I have to be honest. I did not finish this book. It just didn't grab me and I actually felt a bit of dread at the thought of finishing it. I had it on kindle loan from the library and suddenly I wasn't able to view it anymore, even though my time limit was not up. I took it as a sign.

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Review: Eleanor: A Novel

Eleanor: A Novel Eleanor: A Novel by Jason Gurley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What a unique story. I feel like I can't say much about it as it would either be too vague or give away too much. I think what I really appreciated about this story is that it is about grieving and loss and you get attached to the characters but you don't get so emotionally attached that you find yourself bawling your eyes out in public as you read. That may be the sign of a good book, but it's not something I enjoy doing. It's a story about family and love but it also has a touch of surrealism that gives it an almost sci-fi feel to it. It feels like it shouldn't work, but it does. Nicely done.

This review is in exchange for a free e-galley from Netgalley.com.

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Sunday, March 13, 2016

Review: Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know

Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Being currently between dogs, I find myself wanting to learn more about them again. Obviously, this author has no idea what dogs are actually thinking. No one knows and all dogs are different. But this was a good reminder of the different factors that influence a dog's perception of the world so that we might understand their behavior a little better.

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Sunday, March 6, 2016

Review: The Portable Veblen

The Portable Veblen The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth Mckenzie
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Just not as good as I hoped it would be. The characters were interesting but I was continually disappointed in them. I know it was supposed to be a romance, but you don't really root for it to succeed. There was a little character growth but it felt like the main character, Veblen, didn't grow and evolve as much as she could have. There was a lot of potential in this story, I felt like it just didn't deliver.

This honest review is in exchange for a free e-edition received from Netgalley.com.

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Friday, March 4, 2016

Review: City of Blades

City of Blades City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read enough books between this one and the last that it was a bit hard for me to remember all the details of the background. The author did a nice job of subtle reminders, though, so I didn't feel very lost for too long. This is a really interesting series so far. It's extremely detailed and well thought out. It's very easy to picture this world in your head as you're reading along. To me, that is the mark of a wonderful story-teller. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Mr. Bennett comes up with next. Well done!

This review is in exchange for a free copy received from bloggingforbooks.com.

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