Showing posts with label Subject Area Non-Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Subject Area Non-Fiction. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Her Last Death, Susanna Sonnenberg

Average Rating: 7.46
Menu: spaghetti, salad and cheesecake

Dana: 6 - Mother was quote a character - had children WAY too young, very unfit as a mother. Relationship with professor was creepy.

Rebecca: 7.75 - Compared a lot to "Glass Castle". Easy-ish read, kept interested. Didn't like either the title or the back. Thought mother was crying wolf the whole time. What was the connection betwen her last death and why she didn't go to the funeral?

Jennifer: 8.5 - Made it seem like her childhood was easy - made it seem like it wasn't a big deal. Very non-chalant. Kept imagining her grandmother's house.

Anne: 8 - Only made 1/4 of the way through. Surprised by the casual tone of the book. Interested to see how the relationship pans out. Why does the daughter feel the way she does. Likes it so far.

Angie: 8 - Felt like the tone was more casual than expected. WAnted to know more about the sister and who the grandparents were. There were more hints that they were famous. Read very quickly.

Becky: 7 - Started off thinking here mom's not that bad - but realized later that she was. Feel similar to relationship with dad. Seems strange that someone wouldn't go to a parent's death bed. This is what it would be like if Mary had kids. Wanted more from the Father's point of view - was frustrated by him. Such a messed up childhood and then suddenly she's "normal." Fascinating how mom could manipulate so well.

Rachel: 8 - Read the whole thing on the plane. Very disturbing. Can't imagine having a mother so inappropriate. So much more about the author instead of the mother but not everything tied back to her mother. Professor was creepy. Interesting when her and her husband chose to have an abortion. Struggled with the though that she thought because they had the abortion they were better parents later.

Tina (@ home with Ayden): 7 - Thought it was a good read and engaging story. Read it very quickly. Thought it was such an apalling story and would find it fantastic if it were fiction. Expected it to be more about her mom but found it was more about sex. Also made me think about how much your parents can and will impact you. No matter how crazy they are, you want their approval and love and how destructive that can be if you have the wrong parents.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Innocent Man, John Grisham

Average Rating: 5.85
Menu: Pizza Luce, cookies, and cupcakes

Dana: 6.0. - Read like facts, good learning about death row, could tell what was going to happen. Mental problems poorly dealt with given how recent it took place.

Anne: n/a - Didn't open book... but agrees with Dana! Was distracted by Twilight series (New Moon)

Angie: 6.0. - More than halfway through. Read very fact like. Very frustrating to read, with justice system and poor treatment of mental health.

Becky: 8.0 - Sean read in 3 days. Wanted to read a Grisham. Pictures too distracting. Changed a lot since HS picture. Coming out of prison- smelling air, etc. parallel with coming back from Iraq, adjusting back to life outside. Shared w/soldiers.

Jennifer: 5.0 - Book on tape- boring at times. Could've been 30 page story. Frustrated- too slow, too much detail.

Rebecca: 4.0 - Basis of story disheartening. Wanted to read a Grisham. Rambled. Skipped around too much- lose concentration. Random tidbits not relevant/interesting. Could've been told better.

Tina: 5.0 (p. 122) - Couldn't get into, repetitive- maybe because of knowing what happens. Poor representation of Grisham vs. fiction. Tried to stay true to facts but too many uninteresting facts.

Rachel: 7.0 (100 pages left) - Very disappointed in justice system- eye opening. Psychology very interesting.