Reading Monday: Office and Young Adult

This book list is a bit eclectic.  I've read a  book written by an actor who plays a character on The Office (American version).  The first two are books on the list are generally out of my genre preference but I figured "What the hell!"


Mindy Kaling-  Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
This is a quirky and funny memoir of how Mindy Kaling came to be Kelly Kapoor on The Office. It discusses her trials, insecurities, successes and inevitable goal of becoming a comedy writer.  It's a quick read, humorous and very entertaining.


Rainn Wilson- SoulPancake
This book is actually on my wishlist of must read.  From what I have read on the reviews on Amazon, it is a book about the philosophical questions in life.  Some questions that Rainn tries to tackle are:
"Can men and women really just be friends?
If you only had one hour to live, how would you spend it?
What paralyzes your creativity? What fuels it?"
These are questions that have plagued the human race since the beginning of our evolution.  It's based on his website, also called SoulPancake, and it stimulates really insightful ideas on how as a species, we can move forward. It also incorporates some really spectacular artwork.  As soon as my funds are right, this is my next book to read.


Darren Shan- Vampire Assistant 4, 5, 6
I think I have already written a little blurb on the previous books (1, 2, 3).   I really didn't enjoy Book 2 and Book 3 as much as I am enjoying these later ones. (I know- why read them?  Because when I start a series, I have this inner mechanism that makes me finish the whole thing.  Weird, I know.) They are fast paced, with plenty of action for all you adrenaline junkies out there and it delves into the question of losing one's humanity.  Darren is torn between his brethren vampires and his ties to his human life.  It is inevitable that he must become a vampire but interesting to contemplate all that he must give up at the age of 16.




These next two books are reviews from my 16 year old daughter, Ayanna Rodriguez.


Alice Sebold- Lucky
In the memoir Lucky by Alice Sebold, the author depicts the terror of being raped and of overcoming the problems she is facing. Sebold is a straight-forward writer and when reading this book you will begin by going to the scene where she was raped. After telling the police she goes home and tries to live a normal life with her parents and sister, Mary. Unfortunately, she knows she can’t live an ordinary life, she believes she will never find anyone special to her heart due to the circumstance. She relives her childhood, going back and forth to tell the story. This is a rather interesting tale, but I do not recommend this memoir to young adults. If you decide to read this book, please have the stomach for it.


Loung Ung- First They Killed My Father
Loung Ung tells of her childhood in the memoir First They Killed My Father, she begins as a 5 year-old in her small town of Phnom Penh.  Loung is one of seven siblings, she is the second youngest. Soldiers enter their city and begin abducting women and young males, for reasons such as pleasure and having new recruits. Ung’s eldest and second eldest brothers are forced into labor camps. She goes through a hard time and loses many people she loves, but will she overcome the issues she has waiting for her? This memoir is for those who like to watch hope mend broken hearts and broken bonds. Hope you enjoy this memoir because I did.


What books have you read lately?  What books would you recommend?




Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.