2018 Challenge - Book #37 - Baby ER

Today's Review is for:

Baby ER
Author:  Edward Humes
Pages: 336

This is a look inside the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and how the tiniest babies are cared for on a daily basis.  The book follows 11 different babies and their families with their struggle to get their little ones home.  The stories vary from parents who had a full term infant and something happened during the birth that landed them in the NICU, to babies who are born drug addicted because their mom's used while they were pregnant.  The babies have good days, and bad, and it is a constant roller coaster to get them healthy and home.

This was a great book.  I am a pediatric nurse, and there have been many occasions that my patients were preemies to start out their life.  Some preemies go on to never have another problem, and some have life long challenges.  Reading this book and hearing the parent's views of what it is like to have a baby that small, and the nurses/doctor's views on how it is to keep them alive was intense.  Some babies were less than a pound at birth, and yet went home.  Others were close to full term infants, but had too many health problems, and died. 

Check out this book.  IT is a little technical, but not overly so.  I found that it spoke more of the families and the care of the babies than medical terms 90% of the time.  Even though it was written 15 years ago - and medical miracles have come just that much further in saving these little babies - it still gives you an idea of just how far we have come in keeping them alive.

Stars: 4

2018 Challenge - Book #36 - My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry

First book completed for the month of March is:

My Grandmother Asked ME To Tell You She's Sorry
Author: Fredrik Backman
Pages: 400

This is a story of a 7 year old girl named Elsa, who lives with her mom, step-dad, and her grandmother.  Elsa doesn't have any friends her age because she is considered different.  She is bullied at school, and has nightmares, so her grandmother made up "The Land of Almost Awake" to help Elsa cope.  She teaches Elsa a secret language and makes up story after story about the Land of Almost Awake.

Then Elsa's grandmother gets sick and dies.  She leaves Elsa a series of letters she needs to deliver to different people in their apartment building.  Elsa is charged with giving all of these people her grandmother's "sorry's".  And in the process, she learns things she never do about the people around her who loved her grandmother as much as she did.

This is a fantastic story.  I love Fredrik Backman, and I have no read all of his books.  There is actually a character in this book "Britt-Marie" that got her own book following this one (Britt-Marie was here).  His writing style, and character development is phenomenal. 

The ONLY thing I would question is what he thinks a 7 year old could accomplish.   I have three kids who all went through being 7 - and I know that Elsa is supposed to be special, but it seems almost a little too much to believe.

I read it quickly because it was hard to put down.  The story flowed nicely and all the characters were likable.  I highly recommend this book and anything you can get your hands on by Backman - you will not be disappointed.

Stars: 4 1/2

2018 Challenge - Book #35 - I'm Judging You

I snuck one more in!!  I had to spend more time than I like on the tram's today here in Basel, AND my youngest daughter has a half day of school on Wednesday (boo), so I had a long afternoon.  It is bitter cold here in Basel, Switzerland, so going outside doesn't sound appealing to anyone.  So we read.

Right before midnight I finished:

I'm Judging You
Author: Luvvie Ajayi
Pages: 256

This book is the author talking funny political commentary about all that is wrong with the world.  Well - mostly America, but still.  From social media, to race, to relationships, Ajayi puts it all on the table for why she judges people so harshly.  We have become a society of constant "look at me" and she wants it to stop.

This book was great.  I am pretty sure that Ajayi and I are kindered spirits.  I must roll my eyes at things I see everyday about 1000 times.  Social media celebrities, people who think it is okay to judge others instead of just looking in the mirror at themselves, and the injustice that has popped up since our Orange Commander in Diapers took office.....it is just too much.

She keeps the book funny and sarcastic, but also brings to light many things that are wrong with America.  She pushes hard for people to take a long look at themselves and the way they judge others depending on their race, sexuality, or life choices.  We all do it.  And it needs to stop.

Grab this book.  You won't be sorry - it was terrific.

Stars: 4 1/2

2018 Challenge - Book #34 - Ella Minnow Pea

I snuck one more in for the month of February

Today's review is for:
Ella Minnow Pea
Author: Mark Dunn
Pages: 208

This story is about a young girl named Ella Minnow Pea.  She lives on an island called Nollop - off the coast of the United States.  According to the people there, the founder - Nevin Nollop - came up with the saying: "A quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" - a sentence we all know from our childhood that contains every letter of the alphabet.  The saying is on individual letter tiles in town - in front of a statue of Nollop.  One day the letter z tile falls off the sign and breaks.  A little girl picks up the pieces and takes it to the town council.  The council sees this as a sign from Nollop that the towns people can no longer use the letter z in any letters, books, talking, etc.  The towns people - on the whole -think this is crazy, but decide to go along with the council.  If they don't they first get a warning.  2nd they get a lashing or put in the wood stocks in town, and 3rd - banished from the island.  Soon more and more tiles are falling off the sign and each time, those letters are banished from use by the towns people.  A lot of people start leaving the island - some voluntarily - some not due to accidental use of those letters.  One girl - Ella - and a man from American - Nate - talk to the council and try to tell them that it is just old glue, not Nollop himself, that is making the tiles fall off.  The don't believe it, but do agree that if Nate and Ella can come up with a NEW sentence with 32 letters in it (all alphabet letters) then they will reverse the restricted use of letters on the island.

Will the sentence get made before all the tiles fall off and no letters are left to be used? 

This book was short and really cute.  It became funnier and funnier to see the towns people try to figure out how to write letters to each other without the use of certain letters.  The even took to renaming the days of the week and months of the year.

It could be viewed as a symbol of what it would be like if a small few controlled the many.  Hmmmmm.....sound familiar?

Take a look at this book.  IT is well worth a read!

Stars: 4 1/2

2018 Challenge - Book #33 - The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

Almost the end of another month!

Today's review is for:

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper
Author: Phaedra Patrick
Pages: 336

This is the story of Arthur Pepper.  He is a recent widow.  The story opens 1 year after his wife has died of pneumonia, and he is still mourning her loss.  He keeps to himself, and doesn't stray from his daily routines, even though she is gone.  He is estranged from his two children, and barely leaves the house.

His daughter finally convinces him that a year is long enough and Arthur needs to pack up his wife's things and donate them.  When he starts to pack up her things, he finds a charm bracelet he has never seen before.  It has eight charms, and as he studies it, he sees that one charm - an elephant - has a phone number on it.  He calls them number and this starts his journey to discover that his wife had an entire life he didn't know about before they were married.  His journey takes him to India, London, France - just to name a few.  Along the way he meets interesting people and does things he would never had done if he had not found the bracelet.  He becomes a completely different person and learns to live again.

This was a really sweet book.  It is an easy read, and all of the characters were very likable.  I had a hard time putting it down - wondering where the next charm would lead Arthur and what he would find out about his wife. 

I am sure there are many of us that had lives before we met our significant others.  Things that we don't readily share with others.  Why Arthur's wife chose to leave her past in the past and not share them with her husband of 40 years never really becomes clear.  Maybe she felt it wasn't important.  Maybe she was embarrassed.  But whatever the reason - she held the secrets close to her chest.

I encourage you to read this book.  Maybe it will encourage you to take that adventure.  Or share something of your past.

Stars: 4 1/2

2018 Challenge - Book #32 - Into The Wild

Today's review is for:

Into The Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Pages: 240

This is the true account of the demise of Chris McCandless.  In 1992 McCandless hitchhikes across America to Alaska.  He had donated all of his savings (around $25,000) and his meager possessions before disappearing.  His parents had no idea where he had gone, and never saw him alive again.  The author retraced the story to try and figure out where Chris had been and how he died.  Chris' body had been found 4 months after he went into the Alaska wilderness to "live off the land".  He had died of what looked like starvation.  Krakauer had interviewed several of the people McCandless had hitchhiked with, worked for, and met along his journey to Alaska.  Everyone Krakauer interviewed found Chris a wonderful and likable guy.  But mistakes , arrogance, and being ill-prepared for Alaska caused his death. 

This was a great book.  I like Krakauer as an author (I read Into Thin Air by him as well) and I think he is an excellent writer.  He tirelessly finds everyone who McCandless had met along his 2 year journey to "find himself" and looks for the real reason McCandless died.  We found out in the book that it isn't what was originally thought.

Great book - don't miss reading this one.

Stars: 4 1/2

2018 Challenge - Book #31 - Helter Skelter

We have had company for a week, so I have been slow reading this month!

This review is for Helter Skelter

Author: Vincent Bugliosi

Pages: 689

This story is the true story of the Manson Murders.  In 1969, Manson's "family" killed 14 people - seemingly at random.  Among them was Sharon Tate, who - at the time - was an up and coming actress in Hollywood.  The author of this book was the prosecuting attorney for the trial.  The book is how Bugliosi built a case, his interviews with members of the Manson "family" and suspects in the murders.  The book is a very detailed recount of the interviews and the trials that followed.

This was a good book.  I was unaware of exactly what Manson had done (meaning whom he had murdered), so I was intrigued to learn the details.  The book brings to light Manson's delusions and how he conned his many followers into believing he was Jesus Christ.  

I did find some of the book dry - especially surrounding the trial.  I guess it is to be expected when recounting details - it felt a little tedious.  But for the most part, the book was well written.

Stars: 3