The Book Addict Reviews: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Genre:  Non-Fiction, Science, Biography
Order Online: Amazon.com  
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 4 stars   
Bought this book after reading a library copy.  

In A Nutshell:  
HeLa cells have been used to create drugs, research DNA, and many other scientific discoveries since the 1950s.  However, very few people knew much about Henrietta Lacks, the woman behind these cells.  Henrietta Lacks is one of the unsung heroes of scientific research, until Rebecca Skloot took up the challenge to tell Henrietta's story.  But this book is not only her story--it is the story of her family, of the researchers who have worked with her cells, of the changes in medical ethics since HeLa was first sold. 

Review:  
I was not a science major, so I had never heard of HeLa or Henrietta Lacks.  I do not generally like science books because I feel like they will go over my head in technical jargon, so I am not sure what led me to read this book.  But I am so glad I did. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks has become one of my favorite go-to books. I have listened to the audiobook during a couple of long driving trips. I have read the book itself a couple of times.  Each time I get something new out of the book.  

Rebecca Skloot uses a conversational style that makes even the very technical parts of the book accessible.  But this style made allowed her to blend the very technical aspects of the story almost seamlessly with the very human- or people-focused parts of the story.  And within the very human- or people-focused parts of the story, Rebecca Skloot has to tackle some very tough issues.  The Lacks family has been hurt in some very personal and profound ways by the death of Henrietta, some of the research done on her cells, and some of the people who have attempted to follow Henrietta's story.  At times, there were roadblocks to Rebecca's search for Henrietta's story--but then at times they were the whole reason the story comes to life and matters for the reader.

As much as the story of Henrietta Lacks affected me, I think the history of the changes and current concerns in the area of medical ethics really hit me more.  I feel like that is really what I took (and continue to take away each time I re-read this book).  That is the area that makes me look with a more critical eye at the interactions with my doctors and other medical professionals.  I do not mean to insinuate that I do not trust them--I wholeheartedly believe that most of them do what they do with honorable intentions the same way I believe most of the people who interacted with Henrietta and her family had honorable intentions.  But does that make what happened right?  I believe that is the issue that will still be under debate for years to come. 

Recommendations:
Since I do not typically read science books, I do not know of another one that I could really recommend.  But I recently started another non-fiction book based on psychology research:

The Book Addict Reviews: Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Genre:  Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Order Online: Amazon.com  
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 4 stars   
Borrowed this book from a friend who recommended it.  

In A Nutshell:  
Nora Grey has a new biology partner--one she did not pick and one she does not understand.  Patch is quiet, complicated, and secretive.  But somehow he knows things about her that even her best friend does not know.  Nora is confused, but slowly her confusion shifts to intrigue and interest.  And slowly Nora learns that there are forces in her life that she never expected--forces she used to think were the stuff of myths and legends.  

Review:  
This book raced through the informal book club in my office--everyone who read it raved about it.  So when my turn came, my expectations were rather high--which kind of worried me especially when I learned that this book was Becca Fitzpatrick's debut novel.  What if it did not live up to my expectations?

However, I am happy to report that this book definitely lived up to my high expectations.  Becca Fitzpatrick put together a gripping story that had me turning the pages as quickly as I could.  I was so engrossed at one point that I missed my stop on the light rail and had to walk a little longer to get to my office.  But it was worth it because the story was so good!

Becca Fitzpatrick impressed me with the characters she created and the growth that we see over a relatively short period of time.  For instance, Nora Grey has a complicated and gripping history that contributes to her unique combination of vulnerability and strength.

Becca Fitzpatrick, also, created interesting relationships.  For instance, Nora and her best friend, Vee, are an interesting combination of birds of a feather and complimenting opposites.  Together, they make a pair that I want to be friends with.  I want to be in Vee's Neon going to Enzo's for coffee and pastries.

And in the end, Becca Fitzpatrick left me with a cliff hanger that made me want to run out and get book two as quickly as possible.   

Recommendations:
I immediately requested book two from the library (good thing I already read two of my three resolution books and have the third partially done before Crescendo was available--or I may have failed on my resolutions before I really got started!):

The Book Addict Reviews: Inside by Maria V. Snyder

Genre:  Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Order Online: Amazon.com  
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 4 stars   
Received this book as a gift from my blogging buddy, Jen Ryland from YA Romantics.

In A Nutshell:  
Trella is a scrub.  Trella lives on the Inside.  As a scrub on the Inside, she has very definite ideas about her life.  Some of them come from the education received in her care facility (i.e., uppers are living the life of luxury while she is scrubbing the pipes).  Some of them have come from her interaction with others (i.e., her preference for sleeping in the pipes rather than the crowded barracks).  But her unique strength and her unique talents have given her the unique opportunity to be the instrument of change--if she is willing to take the chance. 

Review:  
Admittedly, I love Maria V. Snyder!  I have not read a book by her that I did not love.  So I had high expectations when I started Inside and Maria V. Snyder did not disappoint me.

First, Maria V. Snyder created a complicated and interesting world where the rules and norms are designed to separate and divide the population.  The distrust is so prevalent that even when they come together against a common enemy, they divide again afterwards and give others the opportunity to destroy them again.  The way that Maria V. Snyder presents this deeply embedded distrust and the way it permeates every aspect of their lives is telling.  It is subtle.  It is not based on any one making a conscience decision.  It is based on these ideas being told in little ways in every aspect of their lives.  It is in what they teach their children, how they interact with each other, and how they interact with people they do not know well. 

Second, Maria V. Snyder created an interesting cast of characters.  In particular, Trella intrigued me.  I felt reasonably confident throughout the story that she was on the good side.  But she is flawed.  She makes mistakes.  She sometimes believes the wrong person.  She sometimes does not believe the right person.  And she sometimes does not take into account the effect her decisions and actions have on other people, particularly those people who chose to follow her when the odds were stacked against them.

Third, Maria V. Snyder created interesting dynamics in the relationships between her characters.  In my opinion, the relationship that most exemplifies this is the one between Trella and Doctor Lamont.  This relationship goes from one extreme to another as each of these characters learns more about how and why they ended up separated.  The lack of trust and understanding mirrors the lack of trust and understanding in the world as a whole.  As the situation of their world changes, this dynamic within their relationship changes.

Finally, Maria V. Snyder always seems to have one more trick up her sleeve.  In all of the books by Maria V. Snyder that I have read, I have found that every time I think I know what is going to happen or who is going to be on the "bad" side--I am wrong.  Things are always just a little different from what I expected--but still realistic and believable within the confines of her story.  This is not an easy combination to accomplish over and over again--but it is one of the biggest reasons I am always excited to hear about a new Maria V. Snyder book.  

Recommendations:
I cannot believe that I missed the release of the second book in the Healer series--I want to read it so bad!

However, buying a new book is not in my immediate plans particularly since I have a Maria V. Snyder book in my box that must be read soon.
 

The Book Addict's New Years Resolution

Last month I reached a milestone I had been working towards for five years--I finished my Masters degree!  So I apologize for my lack of participation in my blog, but I have made it a resolution to do better in 2013 (19 days to start working on this resolution isn't bad, right?).

I have also made a resolution to read at least one book in each of the following categories each month this year:

1. A book from my house.  I have a box of books that I bought because I wanted to read them but for various reasons the books got pushed aside for other books.  I went through the books after Christmas and realized I really did want to read them--so I made a promise to myself that I would get through at least one per month.
   Here are some examples of what I have waiting for me:
   
2. A book recommended by a friend.  I have so many friends who recommend books to me--in fact we have started an informal book club at work where we trade books back and forth.  Also, I get so many great book ideas from my book blogging friends.  So this category will be very easy for me to reach every month.
   Here are some examples of what I have waiting for me:
   
3. A non-fiction book.  I realized that without my classes and reading lists, I would not have anyone to force me to read a non-fiction book.  But by nature, I love learning (that was my biggest reason for working towards my masters).  So I decided to challenge myself to read one non-fiction book a month.  The advantage of doing it this way versus as part of a program is that I get to pick the book and the topic.
   Here are some examples of what I have waiting for me:
   

And once I finish a book in each category (and probably more--because really three books a month is not that much), I will be able to blog about them.  Thus helping reach my goal of blogging at least 4 times per week.  I love when resolutions work together so I feel like it is more probable I can be successful.  Let's see. 

The Book Addict Reviews: Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Genre:  Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Social Situations
Order Online: Amazon.com  
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 4 stars   
Received this ARC in a giveaway from one of my favorite blogs: Jen Ryland/YA Romantics 

In A Nutshell:  
Anna Ryan has to move.  Her father has just taken a promotion that requires he move to another beach.  But Anna is not sure that she wants to leave.  She lost her mother here and she is afraid that with leaving she will lose her again or maybe lose more of herself.  For Anna's father though, this move means coming back to the place where he met her mother and to the memories of her that are the happiest.  And he wants to share all of that with Anna--if she will let him. 

Review:  
I was so excited when I opened the package with this book because on the cover of the book is a review by Sarah Dessen.  As many of you know--I love her books.  So the review made me confident I would love this book too.  And I did.  I do think that fans of Sarah Dessen will really like Jessi Kirby because their styles and the topics that they approach have a lot of similarities. 

Anna is a fairly private person who has had to hide a lot of secrets within herself.  This personality does not generally make for a great narrator.  At the beginning of the story, I was a little frustrated because Anna was not sharing very much of her story.  However, as the story progressed I found myself really drawn to Anna.  I wanted to find out her story--and I wanted to be there as Anna figured out her story.  I wanted to see Anna find some peace.

At the end though, I was a little disappointed that while the primary story was tied up, some of the side stories did not get tied up.  What happened with the track team?  How did Ashley and Anna work everything out?  I wanted to know more--and see if Anna found closure. 

Recommendations:
After reading Jessi Kirby's first book--I cannot wait to read her next:

But this book also made me realize how long it has been since I read a Sarah Dessen book--I need to read another one soon!

The Book Addict Reviews: Millionaire Women Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley

Genre: Women & Business
Order Online: Amazon.com  
Author Info: Website | Goodreads
Rating: 4 stars   
Borrowed this book from the library.  

 
In A Nutshell:
The Millionaire Next Door and The Millionaire Mind had revolutionized the way that I thought about money--or maybe it is more accurate to say that these books changed the way I aspire to approach money.  No longer did it seem impossible to be financially independent even on the salary that I currently make and the salary I can hope to make in my current career (which I do love and I do feel utilizes my talents and aptitudes).

But those books did have a very strong focus on male millionaires, and as a single mother I felt some of the principles out of my reach.  So I almost jumped for joy when I saw Millionaire Women Next Door.  Financially independence now feels attainable--even for me.

Review:  
I had read both The Millionaire Next Door and The Millionaire Mind a few years back.  But after some recent major changes in my life, I decided to rededicate myself to the goal of financial independence, so I checked them both out from the library to re-read.  It was during the search for these two books that I found Millionaire Women Next Door. So after re-reading both of the originals, I dove into this newer installment.  

Reading them so closely together, I did see that there is some repetition between the three books.  It makes sense because some of the principles that people follow as part of their plan for financial independence are going to be the same regardless of gender.  But the repetition did get to be a little boring in certain spots.  There is also a lot of quotes directly from the previous books, which is probably necessary for the people who started with this book without reading the other two.  But for me, it just further accentuated the repetition.

There is a large section where Thomas J. Stanley goes into detail about the difference between "Alpha" women millionaires (women who became millionaires after growing up in a loving, supportive, and in many cases frugal environment) and "Beta" women millionaires (women who became millionaires after growing up in negative and/or hostile environment).  This section really hit close to home for me and really gave me insight into who I am and why I approach money in some of the ways that I do.  He goes on to talk about being married to "Marginal Bob."  It explained so much to me about how I ended up in the situation(s) I did.

Understanding some of these things about myself have helped me as I focus on my goal of financial independence.  I can see some of the areas that I have to watch for myself so they do not get out of control again.  I have also been able to forgive myself for some of the mistakes of my past--with an understanding that I have to work hard to not end up in that same place a second time.

As a parent, this book has also made me think of how I want my daughter to relate to money.  As she gets older, I want to start to implement some of the techniques the millionaire women talked--such as open honest discussions of how money is spent as a family every paycheck.
 
Recommendations:
If you have not read any of Thomas J. Stanley's books, I cannot recommend them highly enough.  I have found them to be so informative and inspiring.  I do honestly believe that one day I can be financially independent, and when I start to doubt that I will pick these books up again.  The next book I want to read by him is:

The Book Addict Reviews: Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre:  Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Order Online: Amazon.com  
Author Info: Goodreads | Website
Rating: 3 stars   
Bought this book with my birthday discount at Changing Hands.  

In A Nutshell:  
Ashley Hannigan sees herself as a "normal kid."  Not special enough to go to college.  Not special enough to worry about prom.  However, she is surrounded by friends and classmates who feel prom is one of the most important day of their lives.  These different orientations to prom collide when the faculty advisor to the prom committee steals most of the money that was raised for prom.  At that moment, Ashley shows her true colors by stepping in to help her best friend who wants the prom experience more than anything in the world.  In the process, Ashley's view of herself, what she wants, and what she deserves starts to change in significant ways. 

Review:  
I picked this book up after reading Speak.  By comparison, Prom seems frivolous.  It seems trite.  It seems underwhelming.  Those were my initial reactions to this story.  I had expected a story that touched me in the same way that I had been touched by Speak.  However, after some time away I realized that was really not a fair way to rate this book.  This book never claimed to be like Speak. 

So, I started to look at this story on its own merits.  As a light-hearted book, Prom delivers a unique cast of characters.  I think my favorite was Nat's grandmother who could moonlight as a professional baker if only she were not so obsessed with swimming (many times with her clothes on).  Prom delivers a strong coming-of-age story.  The Ashley we see in the beginning of this story would not even recognize the Ashley at the end who makes a stand for herself in a big way.

After recognizing these elements of Prom I realized that I really liked this book.  I am glad I read it, and I cannot wait to read another one of Laurie Halse Anderson's books.  I am sure she will surprise me yet again--but this time I will not let my initial feelings be dictated by the expectations set by other books I have read by her.

Recommendations:
If you have not read Speak, I cannot recommend it strongly enough--this book really shook me to the core:


The next book I would like to read by Laurie Halse Anderson: