Rapid Fire Mini-Reviews

One of my main concerns with starting a blog was that I wasn't going to have the time to read books "just for fun". This has turned out not to be the case. Maybe it's because the books I'm reviewing are almost all books that were already on my TBR list? Anyway, there are books that I read and enjoy that still don't get the full review treatment on the blog but I still wanted to tell you about. So here are some mini-reviews!

Secret Lives of the Tsars: Three Centuries of Autocracy, Debauchery, Betrayal, Murder and Madness from Romanov Russia by Michael Farquhar . This was a book I got from Netgalley. I honestly can't believe how Russia is still a country (though there are still a fair amount of issues.) The amount of shenanigans that these people got into while still kind of running a huge country was astounding. I can't believe the whole place wasn't just a mess of fire and looting constantly.

Zone One by Colson Whitehead. There's been a zombie outbreak and America is trying to get itself back together, while still eliminating the remaining zombies. Our narrator "Mark Spitz" works with 2 other survivors sweeping the skyscrapers of New York City, trying to get everything ready for survivors to reclaim the city. We hear his back story and of others. The writing was what really made this book shine. There was also a great quote "Even angels are animals". I liked it, even though I'm not much one for zombies.

A Man Came Out of a Door in the Mountain by Adrianne Harun. The devil comes to a small, sad, destitute town in Canada. The main characters are a group of teenagers, mostly good kids who are trying to stay out of the serious trouble that presents itself in the town (alcoholism, depression, suicide). Also there is the problem of teenage girls regularly disappearing. Though this book was a little bleak I thought it was great and such an interesting concept.

The Martian by Andy Weir. Everybody was lovin on this book in the book blogging worldasphere it seemed like, proof here and here and tons of other places. I totally agree. I love this book. I chuckled out loud reading it, which doesn't happen often. I like space stuff, as you may have gathered from space week, and this was right up my alley.

World of Trouble by Ben H Winters. I talked about Ben Winter's Last Policeman trilogy and how much I liked it and how I was waiting for the final installment here. Well I got an e-ARC from Edelweiss and I was thrilled. I really liked this book. I feel like trilogies usually peter out towards the end and disappoint but this one certainly does not.

The Fever by Megan Abbott. I didn't like this book. A lot of other people seem too.I like the dad character because he seemed pretty realistic. I just never cared enough about the assorted girl characters to really be invested in what happened to them.

The Farm by Tom Rob Smith. Truthiness - I DNF'd this. I didn't like that format. A lot of people seem to like it so maybe I'll go back someday. (shrugs)

Resistance series by Carla Jablonski. This series was recommended to me during Armchair BEA when I put out the call for suggestions for historical graphic novels. They were fast interesting reads, but I wasn't crazy about the art.

Phew! Anyone else read any of these?