The Madwoman and the Roomba by Sandra Tsing Loh

Amazon recommended this memoir to me, and I added it to my "quarantine order".  Among the quoted reviews was "hilarious, snarky, insightful", "wildly funny", "funniest writer writing today".  I expected a hilarious view on every day life.  All the things that go wrong in our typical day that if we don't laugh about them, we'd cry.  I was really expecting something similar to South of the Etowah, which is on display as one of my faves.  Raymond Atkins made a washing machine funny.  So, I had high hopes here.

I did not laugh.  Not even once.  I smiled a few times.  This was really not funny at all.  White (Chinese-German), wealthy (Malibu, CA), and whiny (please just stop complaining) is a better tagline.  I kept reading just to see if the funny stuff came later.  It didn't. 

I'm also angry Amazon sent me one with a damaged bottom corner and cover.  Not wanting to deal with sending it back for a replacement, I said whatevs.  I now believe this was actually a returned and resold copy.  Likely because it's not worthy to be kept.  I don't plan to put this in the collection.  Instead it'll be on the free shelf. You know a new book has to be pretty bad for me to do that.

Sorry, but a no. 

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed

It's summer vacation!

I posted my summer reading list on my personal Facebook Monday.  This is book #1.

*Before I begin, please know this review refers to the Advanced Reading Copy edition.  This book is now available for purchase.

This was among the 70+ ARCs delivered to WHHS students by Ms. Kym, formerly of the WHPL and now at the State Library.  It looked fantastic, so I snagged it.  It'll be on the free shelf when...if...return to school.  It is already on our pending order for next school year.  Cross fingers the order is approved!

I actually read this in its entirety on Monday right after getting home from delivering the last of the senior Band gifts.  I read it in one sitting as I could not put it down.  

I am typically not a huge fan of alternating view points, but in this case it works.  

17 year old Khayyam is an American (specifically Chicagoan) of immigrant parents.  Her mother is Indian and Muslim and her father French.  Both are professors.  So although Khayyam is most definitely "other" in the checking of ethnic/racial/religious boxes (and is a strong female lead to boot), her life is quite comfortable.  She will go to college without question, one of prestige likely.  She wants to major in art history.  

Enter the summer before her senior year.  Khayyam has submitted a thesis, hoping for a scholarship to an art school, on the connections between Delacroix, Dumas, Byron, and a mystery woman of possible Indian or Muslim origins in their art and poetry. 

The alternating viewpoint is of Leila, an unfaithful harem, the mystery woman and her travels to France. 

While on summer holiday in France, specifically Paris, Khayyam meets the *cute/same age/male* descendant of Dumas, who is also on the hunt for Leila.  

In an almost Scooby Doo-ish (they actually say so) way, they set out to unravel the story in old letters, manuscripts, poems, and paintings.

Now, I know you might be thinking this sounds kinda silly and contrived, and yep, it is.  BUT, if you like any of the above, especially the secrets contained therein (hello, Da Vinci?), you will absolutely love this.  

Lighthearted, but also historically intriguing, I'd definitely recommend.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs W.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

I pre-ordered this the first day I could. Thanks to Prime, it came the day it was released, which was last week. I read it in a day. It was just as good as I thought it would be.

That being said, I did not feel it appropriate to write/record/post a book review within the next few days.  It'd gotten even harder. I honestly had every intention of doing this yesterday, but after getting home from delivering the graduation signs and my adopted senior's gift, I was riding the proverbial high.  I have proofread numerous scholarship thank you notes and cried with pride.  I guess that makes the crash worse.

I see you.  I hear you.  I will try to understand you.  I just ask you see me too.

So, this review.  

Set 64 years before The Hunger Games, this is a prequel, the story of one of my favorite villains, Coriolanus Snow.  The equivalent of a high school senior in the Capital, the once weighty Snow name is fading fast.  Coriolanus lives with his cousin (that's TIGRIS, people) and their grandmother.  With little money, they are facing what we'd call foreclosure while wearing hand-me-downs and eating broth for dinner. 

It is the 10th anniversary of the Games, and it's a new idea to pair one of the seniors with a Tribute.  Coriolanus is paired with the District 12 girl, Lucy Gray Baird.

Now I don't want to spoil too much, but...

-It's pretty obvious this is the first book in a new series/duology/trilogy.

-"The Hanging Tree" writer/singer is Lucy Gray. Katniss learned the song from her father. Coincidence?  I would bet the farm not.

-There are several families that are legacy and who are either older adults or a younger generation in the original trilogy, which does get somewhat confusing.

And speaking just of Coriolanus, to quote the villain in another of my favorite trilogies, "the villain is always the hero, in his own story"....

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.