I Am Spock is an amazing look into the life of Nemoy, mostly in regards to his Star Trek character Spock. However, while the story was focused on this aspect of his life it was not exclusively so. I ended up learning so much else about Nimoy's other work.

I was a TNG kid, finding Star Trek in the early 90s when most of the events of Nimoy's memoir had already happened. I had heard rumors about the actors interactions and the drama on the stage, but had never really given it much thought. This book gave me Nimoy's perspective on his work on Star Trek and specifically his character. It is a precious perspective now that he has passed. It also made me excited to seek out the other Star Trek memiors and read them all.

It was also brilliantly written, and narrated (as I read the audiobook). I admit that, at times, it made me quite emotional.

I debated for a month about how I would read Becoming. I finally decided on the audiobook, and I think that I made the best decision. There was something more connecting hearing the story being told by Michelle Obama, as well as being able to listen as I went about my life being a working mother.

Becoming is a memoir by the first African American First Lady. She is someone who has been at the forefront of media and the face of America for a good portion of my adult life. This book was hard, at first for me to read. Obama broke down this idealism that I had and told her story like it is. She is a women from the South Side of Chicago. I appreciate her all the more for this.

I loved the story of her childhood and her community. It was amazing reading about her deep bond with her family and her parents influence on her life. There was also a sort of giddiness reading about how things unfolded. There is no mystery twist in this book. We know who won and who lost the elections, we know what will unfold. What this book gives is a raw honest look at Michelle Obama through it all.

I appreciate her honesty in writing the book. She did not compromise her opinions or values, but used the grace she developed to tell them in a polite but honest way. I walked into this book having a respect for her as a very public figure, and finished having a deep respect for her as a person.

There are so many trigger warnings for this book that I could not possibly list them all. However, the biggest for me were sexual abuse, and pedophilia.

At the recommendation of nearly everyone in the book community I picked the audiobook. I am not sure how I feel about performance audiobooks. However, it was extremely well produced and well narrated.

The book itself was both gripping and hard to read. The story was about Sadie, a big sister who raised her little sister, that was murdered at the age of 13. At the request of her adopted Grandmother, a reporter began a search for Sadie when she then went missing. The story was turned into a podcast. The narration is half in Sadie's voice and half the podcast.

The characters were a bit too relatable. The story a bit to vivid. The writing was excellent, but for the topic it made it hard to continue with at times. I continued because I needed to see how the story ended. I needed to see Sadie's completion. In a way I did. In another way I was completely let down. The story was not complete, because I could see a next step.

I understand, I think, where the author was going with the ending. I just do not think that is succeeded. Instead I was just left frustrated and let down. Ultimately, I am glad that I did read it.

I also have difficulty calling this book YA. I would not put on the audiobook when my teenagers were in the car. Between the theme and the language it was too much. It seemed more like an adult book with a young adult character.

I loved Caraval and could not wait to read the second book. At first the book felt a little awkward. I had connected to Scarlet as the main character and I was now seeing her from her sister's perspective. I was actually glad that Scarlet was not a main character in this book. The first part of the book was also a bit hard to swallow at first.

Soon the book became more believable and even seemed less magical then Caraval itself was. Overall, I felt like I was taken for a ride. I never quite new what was coming next, but I was completely enjoying the experience. I think I may have even loved this more than the first book, but I have not decided officially.

There is one aspect of this book that drove me a bit crazy. Tella is only 16. I forgot that for most of the story and when it was thrown back in my face at the end I was thrown. The plot was just too much for a 16 year old. I wish that she would have been at least 18 and Scarlet 20. It would have just fit better to me.

The Great Alone is one of those rare masterpiece novels. Kristin Hannah told a story that was vivid, alive, and full of emotion. She told the story of Leni, who at the age of 13 was brought to the wildness of Alaska by her parents. They were unprepared and hiding a volatile family life. Her father was a POW in the Vietnam war and suffered from PTSD, although that was not labeled during the 197o's, and the family was left to deal with his violent and paranoid behavior.

The novel is a journey through Leni's life. I feel like I have lived another lifetime within the pages of these books. It was a good, but troubled life, full of adventure and tragedy. It was so real that I could see the harsh Alaska winters and the wild variety of love. Part of Leni will live inside of every reader.

This was my first novel by Kristin Hannah. Yet, I do not want it to be my last.

Iron and Magic is the first in a new series that spins off from Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series.

I was not sure how they would pull off writing a series about one of the most ruthless warlords, Hugh d'Ambray. Especially since they were marrying him off. I appreciated that they kept true to the character, while also showing a more personable side. It is there realization that not everyone is evil or good and that all people are a mixture of both. Although, this book is ultimately for fun and not an expression of human nature.

The book is set before the last book in the Kate Daniels series. I inadvertently read it at exactly the right time, and I am glad. While you can read it without reading the Kate Daniel's series it would be best to read the first twelve books in that series before reading this book. I am glad that the Kate Daniels series is ending, and equally glad that this series is starting in the same world. It gives the world a fresh perspective.

My favorite part is the ending. This book is ultimately part of a long series, one that went before and one that went after. I love how they set it up. Not everything was tied up happily ever after - which would not fit Huge d'Ambray, yet enough was to be satisfied that it was a place to end. It was a great start to a new series. I am excited to see where it goes and how it ties into the last book of Kate Daniels.

The Poppy War is set in a world that is full of Gods, these Gods can be used to grant a person special power. Although, this is only known by the few left who still believe. The story mostly follows Rin, a war orphan taken in by a drug dealer, not out of mercy but due to government intervention. It was a tough life. To escape it Rin studies for a test that will allow her to escape her small town to train at an elite military institution.

This is a coming of age story, one that does not paint the world in perfection or even black and white strokes. The world, and the people in it, are complex. The plot is less so. It is about war and power.

While I enjoyed The Poppy War and the characters found in it, I did not outright love it. I found it to be a little to dark.

Read on Kindle purchased during Amazon Deal of the Day.

Grey Sister is the second book in the Book of the Ancestor series by Mark Lawrence. The story continues a few years after the first book, Red Sister. Nona has yet to revenge her friend and is feeling guilty and restless. Thankfully in the last couple of years she has graduated to a new class and is improving even more in her skills. Nona is not the best skilled in her class, but she seems to be able to do a little bit of everything. Most importantly, when her friends need her she finds a way to accomplish what is thought to be impossible.

I loved Red Sister, and I loved Grey Sister even more. It is like Lawrence took a step back and decided that he could work in so much more of the back story of the world. The best part is that he did it in a way that flowed naturally in the novel. I learned so much about the world and so much about the side characters. Now I would love a short story collection about all of the people we glance in this series. As much as I love Lawrence's worlds I am amazed by how realistic his characters are. I seem to connect to even the most side of side characters.

I am anxiously awaiting the third, and concluding, book to this series.

I do not typically read romance novels. Yet, when I saw the synopsis of The Kiss Quotient I wanted to read it so much I skipped the library wait and bought the paper version. I was mostly drawn in by the main character. She is in her 30s, does predictive analysis, and has Asperger's. Then to top it off she is drawn to martial arts and K-drama. While my K-drama obsession is non existent my Taekwondo obsession is alive and well making this the most like me character that I have ever seen.

Which is probably why this book only received four stars instead if five. That and the plot given way to sex scenes - I did mention I don't typically read romance.

I think Helen Hoang is a great author and this is an own voices book written while the author was receiving her own diagnosis of autism. In a way it is like an exploration of what it means to be autistic.

However, as a reader with Aspergers bringing up two kids on the spectrum there are two things I did not find as realistic with the main character. The first is that everything came so dang easy to her. She was rich and she worked in a company that accepted her just as she is. Most people on the spectrum cannot just buy their way out of sensory issues. The second is that she worried about her autism too much. This may just be a me thing, but I am proud of my diagnosis. What I worry about is the actual difficulties I have - such as social communication. Stella seemed to be the exact opposite. She did not have to worry about any of the repercussions of her disorder, just the title.

Also, the way the first chapter described SAS was weird and inaccurate. While I understand and relate to Stella's geeking out of data sets the way it was described was awkward. However, as the book moved on it became less awkward. I am uncertain if this is because the descriptions themselves were less awkward or because the became more about economics, a topic I am less familiar with as I am a social scientist.

Yet, it is a romance novel and there is a reason that I typically do not read them. I would rather the pages devoted to sex be given away to plot and character development.

My review is probably a bit too analytical. I did enjoy the book. I do think the characters were distinct and developed. I also think the writing was well done. The Kiss Quotient is well deserving of the four stars and I plan on continuing to read Hoang's books. Probably in paperback since that is how I started. I just hope the next book has slightly more depth. It is so easy to turn autism into a caricature or the sole defining aspect of a person.