In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

by Carol2 Comments
Did you read the blurb above? It sounds really good, doesn't it? First off, i like house party murder mysteries, so the glass house in the middle of the woods with a small cast of characters appealed to me. Add an unreliable narrator and secrets of the past and it should have been a winner. Unfortunately, all the characters were annoying and juvenile and the big surprise wasn't that surprising. I didn't care about Nora and found her agreement to go to the party unlikely. Add in her obsession with a high school boyfriend character and she was just a pretty sad character who I didn't relate to or sympathize. Actually, I was hoping for a final twist that took into account her knowledge from crime writing, but no, she just puts herself in a dangerous position alone with the killer like so many amateur female detectives. Really, when will they learn to at least tell someone where they're going? I...
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Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song by Sara Bareilles

by Carol5 Comments
I enjoy Sara Bareilles' songs. I just do. They make me want to sing along, which is why I picked this audio up from the library. Sara reads this collection of 8 essays and sing pieces of a few of her songs along the way. It's like talking to an old friend. She's honest and lets us see parts of her life. She shares her insecurities, her struggles with body image, her struggles as a beginning songwriter. I think listening to the audio was the way to go though, rather than reading it in print. You can tell that she really cares about people and is thrilled when her songs connect to people, inspires people, let people know that they're not alone. She's very affirming of others, especially young women. I love how she doesn't take herself too seriously though. She keeps the tone light throughout and I enjoyed the different tones she uses when she laughs at herself. It's a fun...
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