"I am simply a 'book drunkard'. Books have the same irresistable temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them." (L. M. Montgomery)
I quite liked this because it presented a difficult-to-understand subject pictorially, which makes it easier for younger readers to relate. The visuals were also well-executed (in particular, the expressions and body language). It is told from both from the adult's and (Asperger) child's points of view.
This read was brought to me by Twitter, at least, a post on Twitter which I'd seen about a commuter on the Tube, who was listening to a mother read to her young son, and who was then resigned to missing his stop so that he could find out the end of the story. This intrigued me, and I had to find out what the story... and ending was, too.
 - Dick King-Smith)
I guarantee that you will read this book and hear Jeff Foxworthy's drawl -- which makes it all the funnier, and the more groan-out-loud. A couple of examples below:
A multi-award winning memoir written entirely in free verse. Despite not being in prose, the author paints a vivid picture of growing up in the South, in a time of transition where colored people still received a different treatment, even after emancipation.
This is a novelization of the movie by the same title. It is a story of spiritual warfare, which in this book, is of a marital nature. It is easy reading, in the sense that it is not preachy. As a matter of fact, the lessons which the reader can take away from this read is applicable to all areas of life, which makes this story very relatable to one's own spiritual walk.
Jeffrey Archer’s inaugural work of fiction, first published in 1976, is reminiscent of the ‘Mission Impossible’ television series, where every undertaking is carried out covertly and using old-school methods, which range from detailed bait-and-switch to cavalierly winging it. This made it incredibly refreshing to read in this day and age of technology and gadgetry. It was additionally engaging because the characters were fallible, and plans were liable to go wrong. Said characters, having lost a considerable amount of money by way of what is known as the pump-and-dump scheme, got together to find a way to recoup their loses -- right down to the very penny, not one more and not one less. All the machinations contained herein are a testament to man’s ingenuity (or craftiness).
The story takes place in a 'dystopian utopia', where everything and everyone is a matter of plan and design. Everyday life exists in a formulaic vacuum of routines and rituals, and where the citizens are completely complaint. It raises the question of the seemingly non-existence of free will; no one (from the youngest to the oldest) questions the mandate. The 'brainwashing' seems total and complete, but for the carrier of memories. He/she is the only one who has access to the collective recall of humankind, and in that, lies the seed of choice, and by extension, (the option of) rebellion. 
Firstly, I *LOVE* the televisions series 'Bones': the left-brain dominant Dr. Temperance Brennan, her pull-forensic-magic-out-of-thin-air team, and the formidable Agent Seeley Booth. I knew that it was inspired by Kathy Reichs' book series, and of her own experience as a forensic anthropologist, and so I had been wanting to start on this for a while now. 
The saying "you get what you pay for" does not necessarily apply when it comes to works of art, in that, one might be paying a markedly high price for a copy of an original, and be none the wiser. I did not say 'fake' because some of these forgeries are reproduced in such exactness that they even have the experts fooled, as it was in many cases as highlighted in this book. How much more so when the history of a piece is backed up by (impressive) provenance? 
The 2015 National Book Award winner for fiction, but it just wasn't for me.
Imagine listening to a musical composition, which after the final note has been played, where every fiber of your being still thrums in resonance, you find that you remain enraptured (perhaps even holding your breath) -- your heart still held hostage by that last lingering tone, which by now is no longer humanly audible. Well, that’s what reading this book felt like to me. 
The most common impression when angels are mentioned is one of dazzling beings with radiant visages. Might we recognize one if a celestial visitor came garbed in human form, walked among men, and altered the course of earthly events? Not all supernatural events and interventions are of an earth-shattering nature, and some of these have even been disputed as to their authenticity. Such is the story of a skeptical young man about his father's angelic account in the war fields of Bastogne. The difficult life he knew after his father returned from the war further colored his cynicism. As a reporter, he seeks to uncover the true story, which unfolds in the book.
It isn't called a twisted tale for nothing, for it turns the fable on its head. No more is the romanticized version of Aladdin; in its place is a tougher, grittier, and gorier reimagined rendition. There's still magic, but of a far more sinister kind. In a way, it represents a more accurate picture of present political currents on the world stage, and the constant shift of power.
Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ is an annual read for me, and this year, I am delighted to follow it up with this book. The three Christmas spirits make an appearance again, but this time, at the behest of Scrooge. This is a quick easy read for the holiday season.
