tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45394405710159143252024-02-19T00:07:38.479-06:00Just Another Book GuyEric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-90556182205888216752022-10-20T06:00:00.002-05:002022-10-20T06:00:00.169-05:00Book Review: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15329.The_Hobbit" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Hobbit" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1403185960l/15329._SY160_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15329.The_Hobbit">The Hobbit</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/656983.J_R_R_Tolkien">J.R.R. Tolkien</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1439855774">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />I finished this book back in July, but forgot to post a review about it. Here are my thoughts: <div><br /></div><div>There is a reason that this series of books is considered one of the greatest of all time. The Hobbit did not disappoint. It was well written and the story moved you along at a wonderful pace. I enjoyed my first steps into the book version of middle earth. I've seen all of the films, but as always, the book was so much better. I can't wait to continue reading the series.
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
</div>Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-79663629421334844462022-10-19T09:50:00.004-05:002022-10-19T09:50:57.404-05:00Book Review: Nothing But the Truth by Avi<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6902379-nothing-but-the-truth" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Nothing But the Truth (Scholastic Gold)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328837484l/6902379._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6902379-nothing-but-the-truth">Nothing But the Truth</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10105.Avi">Avi</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5043518651">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I found this book to be a very interesting look into interpersonal relationships and the effects of people's actions on those relationships. It was interesting to see how the story unfolded for each of the characters as they saw the incident through their own lenses. There were just slight tweaks in the way that they each told the account of what happened and it was amazing to see the ramifications of those tweaks to the story. I'm being vague on the story to not spoil it for anyone. If you are someone that's into psychology or you are just a people watcher by nature, this will be an interesting book for you to read. I gave it three stars because I thought it was well written and I enjoyed the premise, but it's not something I'll pick up and read again.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-78038975383123519172022-10-13T13:16:00.000-05:002022-10-13T13:16:04.035-05:00Book Review: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9395362-the-westing-game" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Westing Game" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545923356l/9395362._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9395362-the-westing-game">The Westing Game</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10074.Ellen_Raskin">Ellen Raskin</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5025692254">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the fact that it was like playing the board game "Clue". I figured out half of the solution before the end of the book. The plot isn't too deep, but I think that adds to the fun of the book. It's a quick read and very fun. I'd recommend this book to anyone that likes a good "who done it" type book. The characters are very likable and the story telling is done in a great way. It's not a five star book for me, but it's pretty close to it. It's definitely worth the read.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-79653032249518624132022-08-17T09:55:00.003-05:002022-08-17T09:55:51.149-05:00Book Review: The House with the Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/295801.The_House_with_a_Clock_in_Its_Walls" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The House with a Clock in Its Walls" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388467935l/295801._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/295801.The_House_with_a_Clock_in_Its_Walls">The House with a Clock in Its Walls</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/101070.John_Bellairs">John Bellairs</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4925567622">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This was a well written book that was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed the story line and the characters. The author does a great job of painting scenes in the book. It's got magic, mystery, and suspense. It also deals a little bit with a child new to an area that struggles to fit in. I think this book will appeal to a wide range of audiences. If you haven't seen the movie yet, I'd say read the book first, it's much better! <br /><br />Overall, I give this book at 4/5
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-22845875365334759802022-01-21T16:00:00.001-06:002022-01-21T16:00:16.922-06:00Book Review: Camino Island by John Grisham<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34121119-camino-island" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Camino Island (Camino Island #1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1488922876l/34121119._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34121119-camino-island">Camino Island</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/721.John_Grisham">John Grisham</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4494782196">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I've always enjoyed John Grisham's books. This one was no exception. I really enjoyed that one of the main characters was a book store owner. I've always been fascinated with that profession so it was fun to read a book with that being such a central part of the plot. As with all the Grisham books that I have read, this one had a wonderful plot and fantastic characters. I enjoyed the world of Camino Island. I found it very easy to be transported to the cottage, the beach, and Bay books. I found the supporting characters to be fun and colorful. It's just a very well written book and it made me remember why I like to read at least one Grisham book a year. I would highly recommend this book.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-23748632385909969232022-01-12T14:17:00.002-06:002022-01-12T14:17:25.569-06:00Book Review: The Library at Mount Char<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26892110-the-library-at-mount-char" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Library at Mount Char" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453225113l/26892110._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26892110-the-library-at-mount-char">The Library at Mount Char</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8446300.Scott_Hawkins">Scott Hawkins</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4470716927">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This was an interesting read for me. I'd never heard of this book and saw it on Reddit via a post there and decided to give it a read. For a book that has so many subplots running through it, it was surprisingly easy to read. I didn't find that I was at any point lost in terms of the story line. Having said that, there were some plot twists that kept me guessing through the whole book. The characters were...eccentric, but very well written. The story is so outlandish, that it's absurd at some places, but hey that makes for a fun read. I would recommend giving this book a read. It flows by really quickly and it's a fun story.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-30692119055915728632021-10-05T09:01:00.002-05:002021-10-05T09:01:20.032-05:00Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32493793-miss-peregrine-s-home-for-peculiar-children" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1475844333l/32493793._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32493793-miss-peregrine-s-home-for-peculiar-children">Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3046613.Ransom_Riggs">Ransom Riggs</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1834953524">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This book has been on my TBR for a long time. Overall, I was fairly happy with it. It was slow in some parts as the plot was developing. I really enjoyed the photographs that were spread throughout the book. I think they added alot to the story. <br /><br />The characters seem to be well rounded. I'm looking forward to seeing how they develop throughout the other books in this series. I wish there would have been a little bit more about Grandpa at the beginning of the book, but that's just personal preference. <br /><br />The world building is good in this book. The author takes great care in describing all the places in this book. I didn't have any problems coming up with a mental image for the various settings. This is something that I really enjoy about a well written book. <br /><br />The plot is developing nicely. I'm interested to see how it's going to be spread out over the entirety of this series. I'm imagining there will have to be some side plots to go along with the main one, but we shall see. <br /><br />Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars. I think it's a great book for middle grade readers on up. It's a quick read and would be a great one for the month of October as people are looking for spooky books to add to their TBR.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-9425146065275741782020-09-17T10:19:00.000-05:002020-09-17T10:19:10.012-05:00Book Review: Broken by John Rector<p>Synopsis: </p><p><b style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none;">Trust becomes a fatal mistake in this shocking thriller by the international bestselling author of <i style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none;">The Ridge</i>.</b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; outline: none;">Welcome to Beaumont Cove, a slowly decaying tourist town at the edge of the world, and the place where Maggie James’s worst fears for her estranged twin sister, Lilly, have come true.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; outline: none;">Lilly is dead, and Maggie has arrived to identify her body.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; outline: none;">Lilly’s husband, Mike, is in custody for her murder. With his long history of abuse, no one in town is surprised at the inevitable end to their stormy marriage, least of all Maggie. All she wants is to clean up her sister’s affairs, see Mike punished, and get out of Beaumont Cove.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; outline: none;">With the help of the local sheriff, a retired private investigator, and a strange but friendly carnival psychic, Maggie begins to uncover the truth about what really happened to her sister. But the truth comes at a price, and soon Maggie finds herself walking a dark path toward the same deadly trap that killed Lilly.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; outline: none;">The more Maggie discovers about her sister’s final days, the more she realizes that nothing is as it appears in this strange boardwalk town.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Raleway-Regular, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 12px; outline: none;">*Synopsis taken from netgalley.com</p><p>It's been quite a while since I have read a good mystery/thriller book. I have to say that I enjoyed this book very much. I found Mr. Rector's writing style to be top notch. He did a wonderful job on world development and character depth. I was able to get a wonderful mental image of the town of Beaumont Cove. It was almost like I was there. The other thing that I really appreciated about this book was the attention to detail that Mr. Rector has for his writing. There would be parts written in that didn't have a lot to do with the overall plot, but added an amazing amount of depth and texture to the book. </p><p>The relationship between Mike and Lilly was so well written that I found myself hating Mike. That is the mark of a good book to me when it can trigger such a base instinct inside of me. </p><p>Overall I though the plot was well developed and it had me guessing all the way to the end. Sometimes in these books I can spot the end a mile away, but not so with this one. It was very refreshing as a reader. </p><p>Overall I would give this book a solid 4.5/5 stars. I would absolutely recommend reading it, especially if you are a fan of this genre of writing. It is well worth the time and it reads very quickly. </p>Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-88360387966152554662020-09-03T16:30:00.001-05:002020-09-03T16:30:03.413-05:00Book Review: Wynter's Discontent by Nigel Draper<p style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;">I enjoyed this book from the very beginning. I'm a big fan of books that switch from one character's point of view to another. It's a bonus when it is done well. That is the case with this book. The chapters float seamlessly from one character to another.</p><p class="ends-with-break" style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;">I'm also a big fan of the plot of this book. It's like your getting an inside look into the mind of a con man, and then you throw in the aspect of the secret service and that makes it even more interesting.</p><p class="ends-with-break" style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;">For me, world building and character development are a vital part of any story. The character development in this book is very well done. I was particularly a fan of Wynter and of Meredith. Those characters were both very compelling to me and I couldn't wait to hear what happened to them throughout the book. The author does a great job of working subtle details into the character descriptions. There were many times where there would just be short little descriptors of a character's demeanor that would totally put that character into my mind's eye. It was like I was standing there in the room with them. The world building is equally well done. I could see the scenes in vivid detail in my mind. To me, this is the mark of a really well done book.</p><p class="ends-with-break" style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;">The readability of this book is very good. It's a quick read and it keeps you engaged from start to finish. There is no slow build up at the beginning, you just jump right in and before you know it you are at the end.</p><p class="ends-with-break" style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;">I would recommend this book to anyone. I think it is a book that can appeal to a wide range of readers. It's well worth your time and I have no doubt you will enjoy it as much as I did.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px;">My rating: 4/5</p>Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-88119647411248948532020-04-18T11:16:00.003-05:002020-04-18T11:16:38.817-05:00Book Review: Warcross by Marie Lu<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29385546-warcross" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Warcross (Warcross, #1)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1489081682l/29385546._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29385546-warcross">Warcross</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4342215.Marie_Lu">Marie Lu</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2202032224">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I have had this book on my list for a long time. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. It's got a lot of different angles in terms of readers it will appeal to. The plot covers topics from gaming, hacking, the dark web, romance, mystery, and the list goes on. I think that this book has a lot to offer. <br /><br />The characters are well developed and easy to relate to and follow along with. The plot is well written and doesn't drag in spots as some plots are prone to doing. Personally, I would have been ok with a little bit less of the romance angle and a little more of the hacking and gaming plot, but that is just personal preference. It doesn't detract from the story at all. <br /><br />It was really interesting seeing the author's take on what the world could look like here in the not so distant future when it comes to virtual reality and how that relates to our every day life. It was also intriguing to see how much influence and power a video game company has. It will be interesting to see if we ever come close to what is written about here. <br /><br />I would recommend this book. It's a quick read, engaging, and fun. I will be reading the second book for sure. I gave it a 4/5 because it was a good book, but it wasn't one of my top 10 or anything like that. I would have given it a 4.5/5 but that's not an option.<br /><br />Enjoy this one, it's worth it.<br /><br />I would recommend this book
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-88928194466244347382019-12-04T21:45:00.001-06:002019-12-04T21:45:37.167-06:00Book Review: Freeing Lindhurst by Al Cassidy<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34827352-freeing-linhurst" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Freeing Linhurst" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1491727177l/34827352._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34827352-freeing-linhurst">Freeing Linhurst</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16693878.Al_Cassidy">Al Cassidy</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3073189103">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I enjoyed this book very much. It's a well written fiction story that has it's roots in a real place that inspired the author. The characters and pacing were wonderful. The plot was well thought out and kept you on your toes throughout.<br /><br />The plot in this book was great. It hit on so many things that I wasn't expecting. It tackled such topics as bullies, abuse, death of a loved one, lies, love, and paranormal activity just to name a few. This book has a little bit of everything and it's so well tied together into one flowing story. The writing was done in such a way that you felt like you were in the abandoned buildings or running through the dark to get away. In my mind it's the sign of a good book when you feel like you're in the story with the characters.<br /><br />Speaking of characters, I really liked the characters in this book. They were well rounded and very believable. I really found Jack to be wonderful. You got to follow the roller coaster that was his life. While most of us won't find ourselves searching through an abandoned state hospital, we will find ourselves dealing with loss, frustration, joy, and pain. You get to follow Jack through all of these things and I found myself rooting for him as I read.<br /><br />This is a fairly quick read that keeps you interested throughout. This is a fantastic book for adults and kids alike. I would recommend this book to anyone that asks.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-41976609353658596912019-11-22T16:30:00.000-06:002019-11-22T16:30:10.267-06:00Book Review: Inside the Mind of Martin Mueller by E.A. Luetkemeyer<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42745894-inside-the-mind-of-martin-mueller" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Inside the Mind of Martin Mueller" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541869541l/42745894._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42745894-inside-the-mind-of-martin-mueller">Inside the Mind of Martin Mueller</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18604593.E_A_Luetkemeyer">E.A. Luetkemeyer</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3058193264">1 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Where do I start with this book? I'm not sure if you could call it a book as far as I'm concerned. It reads more like a stream of consciousness paper. There is next to no plot or character development in the beginning. I'm guessing this was on purpose due to the type of book it is and the ending it has, but I don't think it's serves the purpose well. I like to go into a book knowing at least something of the characters and what's going on. <br /><br />Once you get into the book it's just a rambling dialogue mainly between two gentlemen, most of which makes no sense at all. The author also spends a lot of time with Martin repeating the exact same words as the person he's talking to, so it feels like you are reading the same words again and again. There were a few times that I had to go back and make sure that my kindle hadn't somehow jumped me backwards a few pages without my knowing it. <br /><br />Then, when it came to the ending you still have no idea what is going on. There is no concrete ending to this book. I think I know what happened, but I can't be sure. Maybe I just missed it and that's on me, but I have read many, many books and have never walked away wondering if I missed something in the ending. <br /><br />This just isn't a very well written book in my opinion and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-66439884787994497292019-11-07T16:30:00.000-06:002019-11-07T16:30:10.551-06:00How do you read?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've seen a lot of posts out there about reading routines. So I thought I would throw the question out here for all of you. What is your reading routine? I'm asking this because I'm struggling to find a good reading routine right now. I always think that I will be able to read before I go to bed at night and inevitably as soon as my head hits the pillow or I sit down in bed I start to get tired. Obviously, I need a new routine lol. I've got some constraints to when I can read as I'm married and have 3 kids, so I don't want my reading to take time away from my family. I'm hoping I can glean some good ideas from you guys about how you read and when you read. Thanks for taking the time to chime in. Have a great rest of the week!</div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-36767549222183414782019-09-20T16:30:00.000-05:002019-09-20T16:30:04.275-05:00Update on the Great American Read<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been a while since I have posted. I haven't stopped reading, it's just taking me longer to get through book 2 of Game of Thrones then I was thinking. I've also recently joined a book club, so I will be posting from those books as well. Thanks for sticking around and reading the very sporadic posts here. I'm hoping to get more content up on the blog, but no promises. Have a great weekend everyone!</div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-81286838136013283222019-04-18T07:56:00.001-05:002019-04-18T07:56:33.624-05:00Book Review: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11264999-a-game-of-thrones" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1366247749m/11264999.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11264999-a-game-of-thrones">A Game of Thrones</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/346732.George_R_R_Martin">George R.R. Martin</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2720537101">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I know I'm late to the party on this series, but better late than never. This is a fantastic book. It has made me rediscover my love for this genre. The richness and depth of the story is wonderful. I love the writing style and the world building. It took me a few pages to get my bearings on who was who, but that's how it is with any series when you are being introduced to everyone at the beginning. I love books that are written from different character's points of view so that's a huge plus for this book for me. <br /><br />There were parts where I thought I knew what was coming next and I was totally wrong. It's always wonderful when a book keeps you guessing to the end. I can't wait to continue on with this series and see who will once and for all be the King of the Seven Kingdoms.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-65889982682372319432019-01-31T14:59:00.000-06:002019-01-31T14:59:24.173-06:00Book Review: As For Me and My Crazy House by Brian Berry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Generally I reserve this blog for my personal reading and not my professional reading, but I've decided to change that. From now on I'll be posting not only my progress on the Great American Read challenge I'm doing but also the books I'm reading for work. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here is my review of "As For Me and My Crazy House":</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table border="0" cellspacing="1" class="myActivity" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; line-height: 21px;">I wasn't sure what I was going to get from this book when I picked it up. I was pleasantly surprised by what I found in the pages. This book is a wonderfully honest discussion on family and ministry. I love Mr. Berry's candid remarks throughout the book. I found myself reaching for my highlighter more than I expected. Here are some takeaways that I have from this book:<br /><br />1. I really want to work on taking my kids out for one-on-one conversations weekly.<br />2. It was a good reminder to me that my marriage and family need to be strong in order for role in the ministry to be strong.<br />3. He reminds those of us in ministry that family must come first.<br />4. As a parent, I am the biggest influence on my child's life.<br /><br />None of these things are earth shattering or profoundly new, but it was good to be reminded of all of them. This was such a refreshing book and I would recommend it to anyone that asks about it.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-54630658580879891062018-12-04T16:00:00.000-06:002018-12-04T16:00:04.692-06:00Book Review: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42462544-alice-s-adventures-in-wonderland" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Macmillan Classics Edition" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1540654456m/42462544.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42462544-alice-s-adventures-in-wonderland">Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Macmillan Classics Edition</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8164.Lewis_Carroll">Lewis Carroll</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2609902444">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I understand that this book is a classic, and I'm glad to say that I've finally read it. However, I didn't particularly enjoy this book. I know wonderland is a very fantastical place with many out of the ordinary circumstances, but I felt that this book was lacking in terms of plot and character development. It was very jumpy and not an enjoyable read for me. <br /><br />I gave this book 3/5 stars because I thought it was so/so and I could take it or leave it.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-12813585134979297382018-11-04T17:00:00.000-06:002018-11-04T17:00:04.479-06:00Book Review: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This books has been on my TBR list for such a long time, like a decade or more. I'm glad that I finally took the opportunity to read it. This was also my first book in my challenge to myself to read the Great American Read list. I have to say I'm not disappointed by my first choice.<br />
<br />
I loved the author's ability to build the characters and the world. Sometimes I have a hard time visualizing what the author is saying, not so with this book. I felt as if I was walking with Victor through the story. I could vividly see the beautiful landscapes and homes. I could see myself in his various labs as he was creating his monsters.<br />
<br />
I also enjoyed reading about the inner struggles of Victor as he wrestled with himself and what he had done to the world. I enjoyed being in the monster's mind as he is teaching himself to read and interact with the human world. It was all very fascinating to me.<br />
<br />
I loved the plot of this book. It was a wonderful story of creation, horror, love and revenge. This book would entertain a wide audience and I believe that is why it has stood the test of time and become a literary classic.<br />
<br />
If you have an opportunity to pick up this book, you should. You won't be disappointed at all.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-82289512223606168752018-10-03T11:03:00.000-05:002018-10-03T11:03:56.264-05:00A challenge to myself and a shift in the blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been well over a full year since I have posted here. There are many reasons for that, but the one I'll talk about is the fact that I haven't found anything to spark my reading interest. I've picked up and started 5 different books and put them all down without finishing them. It's been a rough reading year to say the least.<br />
<br />
Having said that, I believe that I've found a project that I want to take on in terms of reading and I'm actually excited about it. I'm sure many of you are aware of "The Great American Read". If you aren't familiar with it, you can click <a href="http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/home/" target="_blank">here</a> to go to the website. The basic gist of it is that there has been a list compiled of the 100 greatest american reads. It's actually closer to 200 books since they count entire series as one entry on the list. My goal is to read this entire list. I'm going to be realistic about this project. I'm guessing it will take me 4 to 5 years to get through this list. I like to think I read more than that, but I usually don't. If I've already read a series on the list, I'm going to read it again. There is one series on the list that will probably not get read. I have no desire to read the "50 shades" books.<br />
<br />
What this means for the blog is that I will not be taking books for review right now, but I will be reviewing each of the books and the series that I read on this list. If I'm reading a long series from the list (such as "The Wheel of Time"), I will post updates on how my reading is going. That way there shouldn't be any long drawn out spans with no content on the site.<br />
<br />
I've already chosen my first book on the list and I'm about halfway finished with it. I'm kicking off this challenge by reading Frankenstein. It's my hope that this list gets me jump started back into the reading world.<br />
<br />
For those of you that have stuck around to read this after such a long break on the blog, thank you so much.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-27985128911032350922017-07-28T15:14:00.001-05:002017-07-28T15:14:38.814-05:00Book Review: The Last Flag by Wren Cavanagh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33907071-the-last-flag" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Last Flag" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1484897108m/33907071.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33907071-the-last-flag">The Last Flag</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14588122.Wren_Cavanagh">Wren Cavanagh</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2074975690">2 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
I read The Last Flag a few months back (thank you to the author for sending it my way). I waited a while to post the review because I wasn't sure how many stars I wanted to give it. The premise of the book is fine. It's about a zombie infested town that they fence off and then they host a game show where people race through the town trying to avoid zombies and collect flags. I read that and thought to myself, ok this could be interesting. I have to say I wasn't really impressed...<br />
<br />
The plot was ok. There wasn't a ton of back story on the zombies, the characters weren't developed real well, and the flow of the story was just kind of all over the place. These were a few of the writing elements that I didn't like, but then there were the typos and grammar issues...holy cow. Every other page had some sort of typo or grammatical error. I checked to see if I had received an ARC and I hadn't so needless to say, that was painful to get through. Normally I'm alright if there are a few errors, but this was crazy. <br />
<br />
The author has set it up for another book, but I'm not going to be continuing on with this series. The plot didn't pull me in enough. I couldn't find a connection with any of the characters and I'm just not interested in where the story is going to go from here. <br />
<br />
As I said, I'm very appreciative of the author sending it to me, but I couldn't find it in myself to give this book more than 2 stars.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
</div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-78130442597503673882017-04-05T09:17:00.000-05:002017-04-05T09:17:00.986-05:00Book Review: Ignite by Danielle Rogland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33825938-ignite" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Ignite" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483987511m/33825938.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33825938-ignite">Ignite</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16292071.Danielle_Rogland">Danielle Rogland</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1962759539">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
I'm a big fan of dystopian sci-fi books and Ignite didn't disappoint. I was impressed with the writing style, character development, and the world building. I'm not going to hash out much of the plot because you can get that in the summary of the book. I like to talk more about the thing's I've listed above.<br />
<br />
It took me a while to get used to the way the chapters read. Each chapter is from the point of view of a different character, which I've read before, but for some reason I had to keep reminding myself who was talking in the first 5 or 6 chapters. After you get into the book you don't really have to try to hard to remember the transitions and it's wonderfully written.<br />
<br />
The plot of this book is amazing. I'm a sucker for rebel groups fighting the "bad guys" and this book didn't disappoint. Every time I thought I knew where it was going there was a plot twist that took it in another direction. There were a few times that I had an idea of where it was going, but I didn't have the full grasp of the twist or the implications that it would have for the rest of the book. I also enjoyed the inner struggle that some of the characters had. I have a psychology degree, so I like seeing those things in writing and it was very well done in this book. I felt like I was struggling right along with the characters. <br />
<br />
The world building in this book is great. I could picture myself in the burned out and ruined streets of London. I could see myself in the HQ of the flames and the factories that they moved in and out of. I could picture the homemade tech devices they used in the book. It was all so vivid in my mind and that is a result of the amazing writing in this book.<br />
<br />
Character development was very good as well. Those of you that have read my reviews for any amount of time know that that is a big deal for me. I enjoyed getting to know the characters individually through their unique chapters and then seeing how they join together part way through the book. <br />
<br />
This book is a wonderful read for people that like: sci-fi, dystopian, action/adventure, and fans of just plain old good writing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that asks. <br />
<br />
I give this book 5/5 stars.
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3696600-eric-dunn">View all my reviews</a>
</div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-30017150031627789212017-01-07T20:42:00.000-06:002017-01-07T20:42:03.608-06:00Book Review: Mostly Human by D.I. Jolly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Mostly Human is a very well written book. It moves along quickly, which I love in a book. Many times books about werewolves are boring to me because there are so many of them out there, but not so with this book by Mr. Jolly. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The plot is well thought out and well written. There are a lot of POV changes, so if you aren't into that you may want to think before picking up this one, but it wasn't an issue for me. I like books with lots of different POV throughout. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The characters are well rounded and well developed, but not overdone in any way. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you're looking for a new book to pick up, I would consider Mostly Human. It wasn't one that would have jumped out at me on a bookshelf, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to give it a read. </div>
</div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-50376361686222990372016-11-17T16:24:00.000-06:002016-11-17T16:24:14.118-06:00Book Review: Molina by Bengie Molina with Joan Ryan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This book is a deviation from what I normally review here. Almost all of my reviews have been on fiction titles. This is a non-fiction work, so we are branching out here at JABG.<br />
<br />
I received this book as a gift from my in-laws and was very excited to receive it. I'm a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan and have been watching Yadier Molina play for many years so it was interesting to get some insight on his life and upbringing through the eyes of his brother.<br />
<br />
This book is well written and very readable. Some non-fiction titles are slow and hard to read but not so with this book; it reads like a fiction title.<br />
<br />
The story of the Molina family is very amazing if you think about it. One family that put three children into the Major Leagues and all of them as catchers. This book takes us on the journey of the boys learning to play from their father, who is referred to as Pai throughout the book. Pai was a beloved member of his community and quite the baseball player in his own right. It was so amazing to see the influence he had on not only his family, but his entire town.<br />
<br />
It was also pretty cool to see life through the eyes of Bengie Molina who worked hard to get into the major leagues. He seemed to have to put in more time and effort than his brothers did. It was a great story of perseverance.<br />
<br />
I would recommend this book to anyone that is into baseball or into books that have a great message for life in general about not giving up and seeing your dreams through to the end.<br />
<br />
Overall I give this book a 4/5</div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-85692507048838529672016-10-06T16:30:00.000-05:002016-10-06T16:30:26.361-05:00An unplanned break<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey all, it's been a long time since my last post. I apologize for that. Apparently I decided to take a 6 month break from posting. Rest assured this blog is still alive and well and will have new content soon. I'm reading 3 different books right now that should be done within a week or so and then there will be new posts happening again. As always, thanks for the support of this blog.</div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539440571015914325.post-3968338971257844212016-05-04T13:48:00.003-05:002016-05-04T13:49:15.857-05:00A Book Review: The Last Words of the Holy Ghost by Matt Cashion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61d3jtdLQEL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></div>
<br />
<br />
Last Words of the Holy Ghost is a Gothic short story book. A little disclaimer here; short stories and gothic are not two genres I generally like to read in. So, there was some bias coming into my reading of this book.<br />
<br />
As I read the first short story I must say that I was not a huge fan because I didn't like the language and I feel like the story just ended very abruptly without closure of any kind. This is what drives me nuts about short stories; I never feel like the story is developed enough or that it ends in a way that is satisfying to me as a reader.<br />
<br />
I tried to read a couple more of the stories and just couldn't get into them.<br />
<br />
Having said those things, I think that this book will indeed appeal to folks who enjoy short stories and the gothic genre. I'm just not that person.<br />
<br />
I would like to thank University of North Texas Press for an opportunity to take a look at this book. </div>
Eric Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01979893003231318210noreply@blogger.com1