By Golly, Ollie!

  • Looking Back on Books in 2015

    Happy New Years(1)

    You know what? 2015 was a pretty great year. Aside from accomplishing some great leaps in terms of adulting (my own place, my own car, building up my savings account, and talking Jon into enrolling into 401(k)), it was also a great year for reading. Do you think one’s outlook on life influences the way the read and review books? Because I look back at my reviews between 2011 and 2014 (a rather dark period in my life), and all the books I reviewed were for the most part mediocre or sub par. However in 2015, I’ve given, for the most part, glowing reviews for the books I’ve read. Or, perhaps I’ve just gotten better at picking out books to read. Whatever the reason, it made my final post of the year quite a challenge because I had a hard time choosing my favorite books of the year.

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  • A Zombie Crime Thriller in Belgium? Yes, Please! | Styx by Bavo Dhooge

    STYX by Bavo Dhooge

    There are three really cool things about being a book blogger:

    1. Gabbing to book blogging buddies about a mutual love for a book
    2. Finding the courage to step outside your comfort zone by reading a book in a genre you’re unfamiliar with and then being kind of blown away by it
    3. Writing about your experiences with #1 and #2

    Let me tell you about list item number 2.

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  • This One was a Real Nail-Biter | Dig Two Graves by Kim Powers

    Dig Two Graves Insta

    Look, I’m not proud of what I’m about to admit, but the truth is, I went in prepared to hate this book. I don’t even know why because when I read the summary, I was intrigued, but the day I sat down to read Dig Two Graves by Kim Powers, I felt like it was the last book I wanted to read at the moment. The first pages of notes I took on this book suggest this attitude influenced the way I read the book– nothing but scribbles filled with vitriol for one of the characters, Ethan Holt, American Olympian turned professor teaching the Classics. I thought he was pretentious, especially after his back-handed comment about Harry Potter. What can I say? I’m sensitive about that. And Skip, Ethan’s daughter? He says she is mature for a thirteen year old, but I didn’t see it at all. But then…a switch flipped in chapter two when a new character was introduced. This new person, watching Ethan and his friends and family, while cloaked in the night, created an atmosphere that I can only describe as ominous and macabre. In that moment, I was hooked.

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  • Welcome to Celaena-mania! | Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

    Throne of Glass

    [Insert some tired quip about how I’m reluctant to read the books everyone else is raving about because more often than not I’m left feeling disappointed]

    But then Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas happened, and I’m sad that I didn’t read it sooner. Sad that I didn’t get to anticipate the release of the next books in the series with everyone else. Sad that I wasn’t swept up in Celaena-mania. Why do I have to be so stubborn? This was such a good book! (Oh, PS. SPOILERS)

     

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  • Feeling Crafty

    Christmas Sheep

    It took me ten minutes to assemble the Christmas tree this afternoon, and even less time to regret putting it up as Fargo began launching himself into our four-foot, plastic Virginia Pine and ripping down both my Christmas ornaments. Yes, you read that right– both my Christmas ornaments– as in I currently only have two. It dawned on me that I’ll have to sew one every night until Christmas in order to fill up the tree. The two-foot Christmas tree that I stuck my nose up at is looking more and more appealing.

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About the Blogger

My name is Jackie, and I am a millennial / mother / Michigander / blogger / wannabe runner / accountant / local library enthusiast / gamer, kinda. This is a personal blog, which means I’m not entirely certain what you’ll find here, but it will definitely not show up on the first page of Google search results.