The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan

The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan is simply a book that I came across and thought it sounded interesting.  It was never on a must read list of mine.  I was simply intrigued by it's subject matter.  That being said, it wasn't a life-changing read or anything.  It was interesting for the most part though.  I like thinking about positive things.  I even write down things for which I am grateful sometimes although not every day.  I think it's a good habit to have, looking on the bright side of life.  I like the comment in the book when she says that one cockroach can ruin a bowl of cherries, but one cherry does nothing to improve a bowl of cockroaches.  If you ponder that thought for a minute, you'll see that it's a really good example of what she's trying to get across.  Don't let that one bad thing make you forget about all those good things in that are still in the background.  Don't focus on the cockroach so much.  Smash it, throw it out and move on.  If you're one of those people who always has something to complain about and want to change that, then pick up a copy of this book.  There could be something in it that helps you turn yourself around.  If nothing else, it will help you see what positivity can do for a person.  I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich

Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich is the 23rd installment in the Stephanie Plum series.  Now, I know that number seems high, but for those of us who are a fan of the series, it doesn't feel high.  I've read all of the 22 previous books, and I'll say this... if you get bored of a concept really easily, then this series is not for you.  It's about a woman who became a bounty hunter for her cousin.  There is always a mystery to solve, usually involving a murder.  Stephanie is the main character/bounty hunter.  She has no training or special skills to be in this line of work.  So, she always gets herself into a jam.  It's a little annoying at this point because you think she would have learned from her mistakes.  However, the humor that Evanovich includes throughout the books makes up for that.  I find myself laughing out loud with a lot of her books in this series.  The first one is still my favorite.  This one... it was a little lacking for me.  It was still good, and I feel like I'm keeping up with Stephanie and her crazy love life with 2 men in the picture.  Her sidekick is a woman who used to be a prostitute named Lula, and she is always good for a laugh.  Overall, I'm glad I didn't skip it.  I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain is an average book.  It is a mystery, but it's a mystery from the past that has resurfaced.  The main character is a little annoying, but with what she's going through trying to find out if her sister is still alive may be the reason for it.  I won't go into too much detail, but her decisions are questionable.  I didn't like the fact that she was letting people into her childhood home that she didn't trust.  I guess that's just what the author wanted for her.  She did develop into a likable character by the end.  I ended up rooting for her by the final pages.  The twist in the book was not completely predictable early on, so that was nice.  It's written in the point of view of two of the characters.  So, if you don't like those kinds of books, then this one might annoy you for that fact alone.  It also jumps from the present to the past to the present, etc.  Overall, it wasn't bad at all.  I don't regret reading it.  However, it just didn't have that extra something for me to give it more than an average score.  I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke is the second book in the Hannah Swensen series.  Hannah is a cookie store owning crime solver.  There's nothing special about this book, but it's a good read.  Hannah does her thing investigating a murder even though she is just an ordinary citizen.  She doesn't always abide by the law to get her information either.  The silliest part to me about this series is the fact that she opens her cookie shop first thing in the morning... because people eat cookies for breakfast.  That just makes me chuckle.  I'm not sure why.  However, the murder story is fine.  It doesn't give too much away too early.  It is a little predictable, but it's ok.  It's a typical, average murder mystery book.  Nothing special.  I do like the recipes thrown in there though.  I've never made any of them, but who knows.  Maybe one day I will.  I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Yes, My Accent Is Real by Kunal Nayyar

I read Yes, My Accent Is Real by Kunal Nayyar because I am a huge fan of the show The Big Bang Theory.  I enjoy his character, Rajesh Koothrappali.  Apparently, he is a lot like his character, or at least, his book portrays him to be.  His stories were very sweet, there was a lot of mild humor thrown in and he comes across as being an emotional individual.  He mentions a couple of "chick flicks" and very much seems to be a romantic.  His mutant immigrant comment was too funny.  The only part that doesn't seem like Raj is Kunal is not an astrophysicist.  Other than that, it was hard not to view it as a book about Raj.  I'm not sure if Kunal would consider that a compliment, but I don't consider it a problem.  Raj is a beloved character.  I can't believe Raj was almost named Dave.  That's a funny story in the book, too.  Overall, I enjoyed the book.  I think those who are a fan of Raj would enjoy the book.  If someone isn't familiar with The Big Bang Theory, then the book is still enjoyable simply for being an autobiography written by what seems to be a really sweet guy.  I give the book 3 out of 5 stars simply because it takes a lot for me to go above a 3 for any book.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke is another novel with a mystery solving food professional like the Goldy Bear series.  It even has the cookie recipes in the book just like the recipes in the Goldy Bear series.  This is the first book in the Hannah Swensen series.  Hannah owns a cookie shop and bakes cookies for a living.  Her brother-in-law is on the police force, and that's how she gets into solving a murder case, not to mention the fact that she finds the body.  It's an easy read.  The characters are like-able.  It's nothing super special though.  It keeps you guessing long enough to want to complete the book.  I like the fact that there is a possibility for romance in the books to come.  It was good enough for me to seek out the second one.  We'll see how far into the series I stay interested.  I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

If you're expecting The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer to be funny, think again.  It's not really funny.  This is more of a story of her life with some funny moments thrown in.  I don't think I laughed out loud even once.  However, I'm not sorry I read it.  She's been through some horrible things.  Some of her stories were very touching.  For example, the stories about her dad and his MS.  She went from being well off as a kid to losing most of it and now she's famous.  She's very much a girl power kind of person.  Not that she's anit-man though either.  She's not.  It just feels as though she wants to empower women to be strong on their own.  I get that.  Despite her wealth, a lot of her stories have a very "I'm just like you" kind of feel.  She seems like a very likable person.  The one surprising thing that she revealed is that she is an introvert.  I would have never guessed.  It was interesting getting to know her as Amy the human being instead of Amy the comedian.  I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.