2014-01-14

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2014-01-14 09:10 pm

The True Meaning of Smekday

The True Meaning of SmekdayThe True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In the wreckage of America post alien invasion, an eleven-year-old girl sets off on an epic road trip with one of the invaders and a cat.

OMG. OMG OMG my feels, I can't. This is hilarious and sad and wonderful and quirky. I giggled, I sniffled, I gasped. I got my feels everywhere, which doesn't happen for just any old book.

Basically, if you are a sucker for very brave, very angry little girls; if two people tentatively reaching out from opposite sides of a war and a language barrier and a lot of rage to find their best friend on the other side will leave you verklempt; if you will enjoy the use of alien ethnic jokes to make a joke about human ethnic jokes; if you love cats. Run, do not walk.

So, so good.




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2014-01-14 09:23 pm

Women and Money by Suze Orman

Women and Money: Owning the Power to Control Your DestinyWomen and Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny by Suze Orman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Meh. This did have the virtue of getting me to seriously think about living trusts and beneficiaries and medical powers of attorney, but otherwise, I thought this was rigid and prescriptive. Not everyone wants to put their money entirely in stocks, 90% domestic with 10% foreign. That's terrible advice for many people. Yet that's all she offered. It was all like that – here's the one or maybe two ways you should do something, with no sensitivity to the different risk tolerances and other values different women bring to money.



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