Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach was quite interesting.  I had never really thought before about what it truly entails when you donate your body to science.  Organ donation is always the first thing people think of, I think.  There is so much more to consider.  Cadavers can be used for people learning to become a doctor to practice surgeries on.  They can be used to improve safety in vehicles.  They can even be "plasticized" and used in science classes to help budding scientists and doctors learn about the human body in a classroom setting.  Some of them have even been used to try to confirm the Shroud of Turin.  I definitely found this book quite fascinating.  If you are ok with the morbid topic and find yourself interested in the topic in even the slightest amount, then I recommend this book.  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson wasn't quite what I expected.  I love listening to Neil deGrasse Tyson talk about the universe.  Therefore, I assumed I would enjoy this book.  It's not that I didn't enjoy it, but I didn't love it either.  I found my mind wandering a lot while listening to the audiobook.  I guess I was expecting it to be "dumbed down" so to speak based on the title.  The technical stuff caused me to tune out.  It's easier to pay attention when you can see Neil talking about it on a tv or computer screen than it is to listen to him read his book to you.  I will say that if you have trouble sleeping, then get this audiobook.  Neil has the perfect voice for putting someone to sleep.  It's very calming and soothing, but that makes it hard to pay attention a little.  So basically, if you are super interested in the universe and don't mind all of the technical wording, then definitely get this book.  If you're only mildly interested, then you may just want to watch Neil on television or the internet instead.  I give this 3 out of 5 stars.

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley was a book that I heard about on a podcast.  The woman mentioned that the ending was a shock and made her cry.  She said it was an amazing book.  Therefore, I thought I'd give it a try.  She mentioned that it was about a survivor of a private plane crash, but that was all I new.  I would describe it as basically a mystery.  The entire book is focused around solving why the plane crashed.  There are intrigued, scandal, and well-developed characters in this book.  The main character is a recovering alcoholic painter who appears to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  However, the book takes you through the last days of all of the passengers' lives while trying to come to the truth about the accident.  I liked this book.  The mystery was opaque enough to keep me interested.  The characters were interesting.  The plot was pretty good.  Despite being a very common conclusion as far as who and why, I didn't feel as though I'd read this story a thousand times.  I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day

The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day was a decent book.  The main character is a woman who escaped an abusive relationship after her boyfriend almost killed her.  She spends 13 years "running" from him with their son that he does not know exists.  Having never been in  a situation like hers, I don't really relate to her.  Some of her decisions didn't make sense to me.  She's kind of likeable as a character.  I spent the duration of the book wanting her to get things together in her life and make decisions that make more sense for her son.  She spent so much time running that she just lost sight of what was in front of her.  I can't really say that I would recommend this book.  I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman is a book of Norse mythology written basically in novel format.  If you enjoy Norse mythology but don't enjoy the dry way the stories are usually told, then this book is for you.  I've never read a mythology book where it read like a novel.  It was quite enjoyable.  If you are a huge fan of Thor as a character in the recent Marvel movies, you may want to pass on this book.  He is portrayed as being a bit unintelligent, which the author claims is how he was truly portrayed in the stories passed down through the decades.  It was a little annoying, but I didn't mind it enough to not read the book.  I really liked it... the story of Thor's hammer, how Odin lost his eye, how Loki deceives the gods.  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah is a story of his life growing up.  I don't think you have to be a fan of the television show that he hosts to enjoy the book.  The book paints a picture of what it was like for him growing up as a biracial kid in South Africa during apartheid.  His mother is quite the character and incredibly resilient.  Noah jumps around throughout time making some of his material a little confusing.  One minute he's in middle school, the next he's six years old, then he's graduating high school.  His transitions were not always smooth enough, in my opinion.  I would need a minute to place the puzzle piece into the timeline that I was trying to keep in my head.  Overall, I did enjoy it.  It was eye-opening about what apartheid was like for him.  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.